The University of Hawaii men’s basketball team reinforced the post with today’s commitment from 6-foot-10, 215-pound Jerome Palm.
Palm is transferring from Valparaiso University, where he played 50 games, starting 26, the past two seasons.
“Coach (Eran Ganot) has been very successful,” Palm said in a telephone interview with the Honolulu Star-Advertiser. “He has a winning program. They’re coming off their seventh consecutive winning season. They asked me, in my eyes, the right questions. Our conversations have been very good. They’ve been very welcoming.”
Palm, who grew up in the Netherlands, is training in Europe and is expected to join the Rainbow Warriors in August. He has met UH’s admission requirements.
Palm played soccer until he was 15. “I wanted to do something else,” said Palm, who then “picked up basketball. That’s kind of how it went.”
After completing the youth programs, Palm had to choose between playing professionally or attending a junior college in the United States. “I wanted to experience college, and gave it a shot,” he said.
He was at Daytona State for a year before playing for Hillsborough Community College in Tampa during the 2021-22 season.
The past season, his second at Valparaiso, Palm averaged 4.7 points and 3.8 rebounds. He shot 55% in Missouri Valley Conference games. He started the Beacons’ first 11 games and their final six.
Palm will join two recruits (Tanner Christensen and Gytis Nemeiksa) and two returnees (Akira Jacobs and Harry Rouhliadeff) in the ’Bows’ front court. Christensen, who is 6-10 and 275 pounds, transferred from Utah Tech. Nemeiksa, who is 6-8 and 225 pounds, played at Xavier this past season. Jacobs is currently a member of Japan’s national team competing in the Paris Olympics.
