Negus Webster-Chan is turning the page.
The Hawaii swingman has decided to turn professional and give up the last two years of his college eligibility, Webster-Chan told the Honolulu Star-Advertiser in a phone interview from Florida on Tuesday.
Webster-Chan said he is in the process of hiring an agent and arranging workouts for pro scouts.
He said he made the decision after finishing the UH spring semester and returning to his native Toronto.
"When I went home I had a couple days, took a week. … Talking with my mom and my people," Webster-Chan said. "I wasn’t answering anybody’s calls. I was just deciding what I felt was best for me, what I was going to do with my future. I just feel this is that time right now for me (to) go out and (start) my professional career right now."
Webster-Chan enjoyed a starting role most of the Rainbow Warriors’ 2014-15 season and was at his best from beyond the 3-point arc. He led the team in 3-pointers (64) and 3-point percentage (.410). He was sixth in team scoring average at 8.3 while shooting 37.7 percent overall.
The 6-foot-7 Canadian, considered one of the most versatile and talented players on the team, would have been a junior in the fall. He realized he missed the deadline to add his name to the NBA Draft pool, but reaching the Association as a free agent remains his goal.
"I’m on the verge (of) signing with an agent that I really like," Webster-Chan said. "Going to have a couple workouts with a couple NBA teams’ scouts. And hopefully anything after that, whatever happens, happens. Whether it’s getting picked up by an NBA team or going overseas for a year."
New Hawaii coach Eran Ganot made it a priority to reach out to all returning players individually soon after taking the job in the hopes of keeping together the nucleus of a 22-13 team that was a win away from the NCAA Tournament.
Webster-Chan is the first among them to voice intentions to depart the program.
Ganot declined comment Tuesday. So did UH forward Stefan Jankovic, a longtime friend of Webster-Chan’s dating back to their years playing together in Canadian youth leagues, and later at Missouri. Jankovic followed Webster-Chan’s path in transferring from Columbia, Mo., to Manoa in 2013.
Webster-Chan had to wait a year as a redshirt player in order to get the larger role he desired when he left Missouri.
He had some highs — a 20-point game in Big West play, and two games going 6-for-12 on 3s — as well as some lows. He went scoreless twice, including against Hawaii Hilo, and struggled with his shot in the Big West tournament, going 3-for-18 over three games. Webster-Chan, who considered himself a shooting guard, often had to play out of position at power forward in UH’s small-ball lineups.
His talent was apparent, though, and he hopes he’s only scratched the surface. He finished eighth in UH all-time single-season 3-point percentage and 10th in 3s made.
Webster-Chan wished his Hawaii teammates well.
"It was fun playing with them," he said. "I wish the team all the best in their future success, and the coaching staff as well," he said. "I appreciate all the fans that stuck with us through the tough year we had this past year. I’m going to miss playing in front of them. So, hat’s off to the community and the state of Hawaii. I love them all and hopefully I’ll be back soon to visit."
