As an ‘Iolani School senior in 2010, Kainoa Chu had his sights set on playing Division II basketball on the mainland.

A year later, the former co-state player of the year and state champion is taking that delayed dream up a level on his home island.

Chu said he was invited by University of Hawaii men’s hoops coach Gib Arnold to walk on with the Rainbow Warriors starting in the 2011-12 season.

After giving it some thought, the 6-foot guard agreed.

"It’s exciting. It’s a lot of things," Chu said. "It’s nerve-wracking. I get to play for my hometown. I don’t know, I can’t put it into words."

Because Chu is still a recruitable athlete, Arnold couldn’t yet comment on him, but Chu’s addition is a safe bet.

Chu had a knack for coming up big in the biggest games. He went out a winner in high school, scoring 27 points in the 2010 state title game against Kamehameha. He scored all 11 of the Raiders’ fourth-quarter points and hit the game-winning 3-pointer in the 46-43 victory. Chu averaged about 15 points during the regular season as a senior and shared player of the year honors with Kamehameha’s Micah Christenson.

Chu follows the homegrown footsteps of 2009 Hawaii player of the year Pii Minns, who was a meaningful scout-team contributor last season for the Rainbow Warriors as he redshirted the year as a Chaminade transfer.

Chu similarly considered playing D-II out of high school, but instead got surgery on his torn ACL in August, an injury he played through since he was 10 years old. After about six months of hard rehab, he felt good again and has kept up a regimen of strength training.

"It’s night and day," he said. "My knee feels a lot more stable. When I’m cutting, it feels a lot more stable and sturdy."

Chu will play with three of his future UH teammates — Zane Johnson, Trevor Wiseman and Minns — in the NCAA Summer League starting Thursday at Manoa District Park. The traditional shooting guard plans to use the games to get used to playing the point, which he said will be his primary role at UH.

Another possible walk-on to the program, Tyler McDaniels, is on Oahu and is enrolled in summer school. The 6-foot-9 McDaniels is the son of UH assistant coach Benjy Taylor.