Warrior Insider

If basic fundamentals are the core of coaching, then Jabari Trotter had a well-timed start with the University of Hawai’i basketball team.

In his first week as a new assistant coach for the Rainbow, Trotter guided dozens of youth players during the program’s annual summer camp.

“It’s been a whirlwind,” Trotter said. “It’s been crazy. The time difference from the East Coast is six hours, and I’m still moving into a place. But the one thing that I enjoy doing every single day is getting up and coming to work and working with our (players), and working with these kids and this community. Hawai’i is a special place and I’m truly blessed to be here.”

With the camps now completed, Trotter can focus on his main duties under head coach Eran Ganot. Trotter said he will assist in numerous capacities, including academics, recruiting and scouting. More specific, he will be helping with team rebounding, working with the wing players, and recruiting in Southern California.

Trotter was an assistant coach at Dartmouth for the previous two seasons. He is originally from the Northridge/Los Angeles area of California, then was a four-year starting guard at Dartmouth.

“I knew I wanted to be a coach the second I started playing high school basketball and going into college,” he said. “Obviously this came to fruition. But that’s the kind of player I was really cerebral, wanted to think the game and out-think my opponents. I always paid attention to the scout and I loved defense.”

He graduated from the Ivy League university in 2012, and will celebrate his 29th birthday this July. As such, he still appears to be in playing shape, and said he hopes that can work to his advantage.

“The game has changed so much, so you just try to learn from the current game as much as you can,” he said. “But then if you can show them a drill or two and get their respect level up and let them know you still have a little bit left, that always helps.”

Due to the “whirlwind” first week on the job, Trotter said he has not had a chance to see much on O’ahu, outside of the UH campus. He has, however, experienced at least one local tradition.

“Plate lunch,” he said. “We went to L&L, and I went with the loco moco … I’m a big eggs guy, so that was really great for me.”