When one door closed, Aukai Wong kept shooting until another door opened for his chance to play pro basketball.
Last year, the 2005 Hilo graduate attended training camp for the Raptors 905, Toronto’s NBA Development League affiliate.
The 6-foot-4 guard wasn’t picked in the D-League’s draft, but an opportunity arose again because of his shooting exploits in the Hawaii College Summer League on Oahu.
His long-distance gunning earned him roster spot with the Hawaii Hammerheads, the latest American Basketball Association expansion team.
ABA president of basketball operations Kevin Williams knew about Wong, who last played college ball for UH-Hilo in 2011.
“I met him in the summer of 2015,” Williams said. “He was first person we signed for the Hammerheads. We’re definitely excited to have him on our basketball roster.
“He was the best pure shooter in the summer league. He’s a hard worker, has a great work ethic and a great guy to be around. He loves Hawaii. He’s a team player and wants to win a championship in Hawaii.”
After the D-League draft last October, Wong went back to work at his P&R job at Papaaloa Gym. Then Willams, who played at Huston-Tillotson College in Texas, offered him a roster spot.
The Hammerheads have 18 games, including 16 at home and play on Saturdays and Sundays, a favorable schedule for Wong.
He’ll get work at his Parks and Recreation job, then fly to Oahu to play pro ball for the first time. And maybe he might get a chance to stay home.
It’s the same thing Wong did when he played in the Hawaii summer league for the last five years — go to work for the week, train daily, then fly to Oahu for a game.
Wong already told Williams that the Harlem Globetrotters packed Hilo Civic a few weeks ago. He’s hoping Williams can secure a few games in his hometown.
“I told him the Hilo community is a big basketball and sports community. The people are into it,” Wong said. “I also told him if you want community support, especially in Hawaii because we’re very prideful people, you’ve got to win championships.
“You go back to when Colt Brennan played at UH (2006 and 2007), we all backed Hawaii. Even the UH basketball team this year, we followed them. As an ABA pro team, you can’t just put on a show. You’ve got to win championships.”
Wong, 29, figures he’s got a solid six years left. He’s hoping his shooting and versatile defense can make an impact in the ABA and eventually lead to another open door to the NBA.
“He’s scrappy on defense and not afraid of anybody,” Williams said. “He can hold his own against a point guard to a small forward. I love his defensive effort. He doesn’t back down, and his defense goes well with his offense.”
If the NBA is the top level, the next step down on the ladder is the D-League, then the top Euro leagues, followed by the ABA and rest of the pro leagues around the world.
Even the top Euro players have to go through the draft, just like lower steps on the ladder. The D-League is basically MLB’s version of Triple-A.
“If I do really good, I could get another look,” Wong said. “I’ll have game film as a pro. I don’t have any film as a pro, so that’s good.
“I love playing basketball. To get paid, I’m very grateful. I’m going to take advantage of the opportunity and train really hard and try to do really well.”
