Eran Ganot, now in his 11th season as head coach of the Hawai’i Rainbow Warriors, has become a fixture in Honolulu basketball.
From Brooklyn Roots to Island Leadership
The 44-year-old Brooklyn native has led Hawai’i since 2015, guiding the program through highs, challenges, and steady progress. His first year remains the benchmark, an NCAA Tournament trip and school-record 28 wins. The goal for 2025–26 is to return to that same stage.
Ganot’s journey to the islands wasn’t conventional. After playing at Swarthmore College in Pennsylvania, he began his coaching career as a volunteer assistant at Saint Mary’s. He later joined the Hawai’i staff before returning to Saint Mary’s in 2010 under Randy Bennett, one of college basketball’s most respected coaches. In April 2015, at just 33 years old, Ganot was hired to lead the Rainbow Warriors, becoming the second-youngest head coach in school history.
Searching for a Big West Breakthrough
Last season was a frustrating one for Hawai’i, finishing 15–16 overall and 7–13 in Big West play, good for ninth place. It marked a third straight season outside the league’s top tier. The Warriors stumbled late, losing five of their final six games and missing the conference tournament.
Ganot enters this year with a 174–120 overall record and renewed optimism. The preseason coaches poll placed Hawai’i third, behind UC Santa Barbara and favorite UC Irvine, signaling that conference peers still respect the program’s potential.
Key Players Leading the Charge
One of the keys for Hawai’i is Lithuanian forward Gytis Nemeiksa. The 6-foot-8 veteran averaged 12.3 points per game last year while starting 14 contests. Early this season, he’s continued to produce at a steady clip, scoring 11 points per game through the first two outings.
The Rainbow Warriors opened with a tough one-point loss on the road to Oregon before rebounding with a dominant 25-point victory over East Texas A&M. That kind of balance, competitive against power programs and disciplined against smaller opponents, is what Ganot hopes to see all season long.
Home Cooking on the Islands
Hawai’i’s early schedule is heavily tilted toward home games, which could help them find rhythm and confidence. The Rainbow Warriors host Mississippi Valley State on Wednesday, followed by Manhattan on Friday and Utah Tech on Sunday.
Remarkably, the team won’t have to leave the islands again until the New Year, when they open conference play on January 1 at UC Riverside. That long stretch at the Stan Sheriff Center offers a real chance to build momentum and chemistry before diving into Big West battles.
A Coach and Program Built for the Long Run
Ganot’s steady leadership and deep ties to both Saint Mary’s and Hawai’i have made him a respected figure in college basketball circles. He’s blended his East Coast roots with island calm, building a culture grounded in development, discipline, and family.
Whether this season delivers another NCAA Tournament appearance remains to be seen, but it’s clear the Rainbow Warriors have stability and purpose under Ganot. For fans in Honolulu, that’s reason enough to believe brighter days are coming.