Former University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo men’s basketball player Aniwaniwa Tait-Jones is set to compete on the national stage as one of 16 players named to the Toronto Raptors’ roster for the 2025 NBA 2K26 Summer League in Las Vegas.
Tait-Jones, a native of New Zealand, was a member of head coach Kaniela Aiona’s inaugural recruiting class in 2020. In his three seasons with the Vulcans, he became a cornerstone of the program, earning PacWest Conference Freshman and Newcomer of the Year honors, three All-PacWest First Team selections and three All-West Region accolades. He surpassed 1,000 career points, finishing fifth in program history in points, free throws and rebounds.
“I loved it,” Tait-Jones said of his time at UH Hilo. “The coaching staff was amazing, and I consider them family for life.”
After the 2022–23 season, Tait-Jones transferred to UC San Diego, where he finished his collegiate career. He was named Big West Conference Newcomer of the Year in 2023–24 and Player of the Year in 2024–25.
“I consider Hilo my second home. I love the people of Hawaiʻi,” he told Hawaii News Now. “They were just really supportive of me throughout the whole process.”
Tait-Jones is the second player recruited by Aiona to appear in the NBA Summer League, joining Ross Williams who was named to the Detroit Pistons in 2024.
Read more at Hiloathletics.com.
