Hawaii lands sharp-shooting prep player from California
Oct. 10—Economou will put his commitment in writing on Nov. 8, the first day of the NCAA's early signing period for basketball prospects.
AJ Economou, an athletic and sharp-shooting wing player, has accepted a scholarship offer from the University of Hawaii basketball team.
Economou attends Southern California Academy, a prep school that competes nationally. The Rams arrived in Florida today for a two-week tour, which will include a game against national power IMG Academy. Later, the Rams will play in a junior-college tournament in Colorado.
Economou will put his commitment in writing on Nov. 8, the first day of the NCAA's early signing period for basketball prospects.
Economou is 6 feet 5, 180 pounds with a 36-inch-plus vertical jump. He projects to compete in the off guard position at UH, where he will have five years to play four seasons. He also is expected to develop into a three or point guard.
Accompanied by his father and step-mother, Economou completed a UH-sponsored recruiting trip this weekend.
"It was probably one of the best experiences I've had, especially with basketball, " he said. "I felt accepted from the day I got there until I left. It was really a fun time. I had a lot of fun and made some good connections."
During the trip, he attended one of the Los Angeles Clippers' practices. "It was kind of cool, especially to see them in that Hawaii gym, " he said, referencing the Clippers setting up training camp in Hawaii.
Economou, who was born in Connecticut, has lived in North Carolina, where his father worked for the then-named Charlotte Bobcats ; New Jersey ; and now California. Through his junior year, Economou attended Santa Monica High. He then transferred to SCA for the basketball program and academic curriculum.
"My dad and mom said it's always 'student' before 'athlete, '" he said. "You've got to take care of academics first."
Economou's mother, Betsy Given, was a lacrosse and soccer star at Loyola Maryland. His father, Greg Economou, played college basketball at UConn and pro ball in Greece, and is co-founder and CEO of Game1, a content studio.
