USC’s offseason overhaul brought in seven transfers, and one of the more intriguing additions is junior guard Aaron Hunkin-Claytor, a player whose path to Los Angeles has been anything but straight.
Hunkin-Claytor committed to USC on May 2 after two seasons at Hawaii, where he put up 6.0 points, 3.9 assists and 2.8 rebounds in 17 games before turf toe ended his sophomore year early. Now he’s back in California, but this time in a Trojans uniform.
His story keeps looping between Hawaii and the West Coast. Hunkin-Claytor spent almost all of his childhood on Oahu, then attended ‘Iolani School for the first two years of high school. After that, his family moved to Northern California, where he became a standout at Salesian College Preparatory and emerged as one of the region’s top point guards.
From there, he returned to Hawaii for college and developed into one of the Rainbow Warriors’ top guards, helping the program reach its first NCAA Tournament in 10 years. Two seasons later, he’s back in California again.
"It wasn't a hard choice," Hunkin-Claytor told USC Athletics. "My mom earned her master's degree at USC, so to go to the same place was a full-circle moment for me.
Being from Hawaii, I moved to California after my second year of high school. Now I'm moving to California after my second year of college at Hawaii.
Everything's full circle. It's weird how God works in mysterious ways."
That transition has been made smoother by USC assistant coach Brad Davidson, who also came to the Trojans after spending time at Hawaii. The two formed a close bond there, and Hunkin-Claytor said Davidson helped guide him through the recruiting process and the move to USC.
On the floor, Hunkin-Claytor sees himself as a facilitator first. In his interview with USC Athletics, he pointed to Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton as the player whose style he tries to mirror, because he wants to run the offense and serve as an extension of the coaching staff.
That mindset started long before basketball took over. Hunkin-Claytor played quarterback in football, and he says that experience taught him how to process defenses, anticipate reads and set teammates up for success. Those lessons carried over naturally to the court, where he says his football background sharpened his vision and his ability to read what’s coming next.
He’s not chasing big scoring numbers. Hunkin-Claytor has leaned into being a true point guard, the kind of player who makes everyone else around him better.
His route has also required real sacrifice. Leaving Hawaii as a teenager to chase bigger opportunities was not an easy call, but it helped open the door to Division I basketball. Going back home later gave him a chance to experience Hawaii’s long-awaited NCAA Tournament appearance, even though a season-ending injury kept him from playing in March Madness.
Still, that run left an impression. Hunkin-Claytor said the tournament showed him what it takes to reach college basketball’s biggest stage and deepened his drive to get there every year.
As Eric Musselman keeps reshaping USC with tournament ambitions in mind, Hunkin-Claytor’s roundabout journey may end up fitting right into the Trojans’ bigger plan.
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