Transfer Preview: Akira Jacobs (Hawaii)
A look at what Hawaii transfer Akira Jacobs brings to Fordham on the court.
Akira Jacobs arrives at Fordham by way of the University of Hawaii. Over the weekend, his teammate Marcus Greene announced his commitment to Fordham as well. From my research, no other division-one transfers will travel further than the 4,958 miles between Manoa and the Bronx. As always, I encourage everyone to read the school’s press release of Jacobs’ signing.
Jacobs is a native of Yokohama, Japan, and has considerable international playing experience. He even has his own Wikipedia page. Jacobs was a participant in the 2024 Paris Olympics as a part of Team Japan, even matching up briefly against NBA superstar Nikola Jokic. Jacobs appeared in three games during the group stage, averaging two points per game in seventeen total minutes during the Olympics. Jacobs played a much larger role on Japan’s youth national teams, averaging 17 PPG in the 2023 U19 World Cup, the fifth-highest mark in the tournament. Prior to Hawaii, Jacobs was the first Japanese prospect to join the NBA Global Academy full-time, a NBA sponsored development program that focuses on international prospects.
Jacobs spent both of his collegiate seasons at Hawaii and had the chance to face off against his new coach, Mike Magpayo, four times over his two seasons in the Big West. This year in eight starts and 30 games played, he posted:
6.9 PPG, 2.6 RPG, 0.6 APG in 18.8 minutes per game on:
40.5% FG
57.9% 2PT (33/57)
29.7% 3PT (27/91)
77.6% FT (41/53)
Jacobs is listed at 6-10, 220 pounds, but he is more of a wing than a big man. He took more shots from beyond the arc than at the rim during his time at Hawaii, has a natural catch-and-shoot motion, and is comfortable putting the ball on the floor and attacking the rim. His height allows him to shoot over just about anyone on the perimeter and opens up passing opportunities into the post. He handles the ball well for his height and can be a dynamic playmaker on offense. Jacobs’ play with Team Japan in the 2023 FIBA World Cup shows what he can be as a team’s top scoring option:
At Hawaii, Jacobs mostly played the four. Highlights of his play:
Jacobs’ defense leaves more to be desired—he has averaged 0.1 blocks and 0.1 steals per game in his career. I attribute some of this to Hawaii’s play style, with the Rainbow Warriors having the eighth lowest forced turnover rate and second lowest forced steal rate as a team, per KenPom. With his length and athleticism, Jacobs has the tools to disrupt passing lanes and alter shots at the minimum. Let’s take a look at his advanced defensive numbers (color-shaded numbers represent D1 percentile):
At times, Jacobs looked out of place defensively, too long to stay with smaller, quicker players on the perimeter but too small to hang with traditional post players inside. Hawaii switched defensive assignments frequently which tested Jacobs’ versatility and forced him into many different defensive scenarios. How heavily Jacobs factors into the Rams’ rotation this coming year will likely depend on strides made defensively.
Overall, I am really excited to see the mismatch opportunities Jacobs creates and how Magpayo uses him. He is a really exciting prospect with a rare mix of size, athleticism, and skill who breaks the mold of traditional position labels. If Jacobs continues to develop as a playmaker and hones in on the defensive end, he has the potential to really elevate a team. He will have two years of eligibility remaining.
Next on the transfer preview series: Dejour Reaves!
Last article: Rikus Schulte
Pretty excited about this roster that is coming together. Has big time potential!