HONOLULU — Two-year Hawaii basketball center Mor Seck announced on Saturday that he will enter the NCAA transfer portal, telling Spectrum News that he had "no choice" but to pursue opportunities elsewhere to further his development as a player.

"Over those two years, yeah, I felt like I didn’t get better that much and I was in the same position I was my freshman year," Seck said in a phone interview. "That’s why I decided to challenge myself to go to a different school."

What You Need To Know

  • Two-year Hawaii center Mor Seck announced on social media on Saturday that he will leave the program through the NCAA transfer portal, later telling Spectrum News that he felt like he had "no choice" despite his love for the Islands

  • Seck said he felt like he didn't get better as a player through two campaigns backing up Bernardo da Silva in the post

  • UH coach Eran Ganot said he had "only positive things to say" about Seck but said he felt good about the players that the Rainbow Warriors are recruiting to replace Bernardo da Silva and Seck in the post

  • Seck isn't sure where he will land and could look to redshirt the coming season as he recovers from an ACL injury that ended his sophomore season after 19 games

Seck, whose 2023-24 season was cut short due to a knee injury, said he is not sure where he will go but "I'm pretty sure I will have a lot of options." The 7-foot-1 native of Senegal said he will likely look to redshirt the coming season to strengthen his leg for two more college seasons, then turn professional.

A quick fan favorite upon his arrival in 2022, Seck said he cherished his time in Hawaii for the people, the beaches and the food.

"I just want to be in Hawaii and I enjoy the weather, and everything about Hawaii," he said. "The people are great out here and they love me. It’s hard to find that chemistry and that love from people. So, I just want them to know that I had no choice. I have nothing but love for Hawaii and I really enjoyed the time that I (was) here."

When reached by Spectrum News, UH coach Eran Ganot said he had "nothing but positive things to say about Mor" and that the program would continue to support him from afar.

Ganot was asked if he was disappointed by Seck's decision, especially with heavy graduation from the 2023-24 team that seemingly cleared the way for opportunities for backup players like Seck.

"It's a good question," Ganot said. "I like where we’re at, I like where we’re headed, and we have a good group coming back. Guys who will develop. We’re getting after it on the recruiting trail and feel like we’re in a good place with a lot of good recruits. We feel like we’ll have a really good team.

"In terms of having an opportunity to have an impact, I think that was there for a lot of guys, including him," he added.

Seck announced his decision in a goodbye post on Instagram.

He wrote in part, "I'm thankful for nothing but love and support over these past two years. It's been fun and I appreciate everybody who has supported me through thick and thin. I will always be thankful for the bond I have built here at Hawaii."

Seck, a native of the village of Ngayene Daour who arrived at UH out of the Prolific Prep (Calif.) Academy, included a thank you to his family and his coaches.

Seck was a fan favorite for his proclivity for dunks and blocks and his affable, innocent nature, and was widely considered to have a high upside.

Ganot was asked if this early roster loss was felt more than some in the past.

"Because we will continue to have such a great group of guys, you feel all of them," Ganot said. "I personally gravitate toward a guy with his story. … It’s tough, because you’re with these guys through a lot of ups and downs."

He was one of the most notable would-be returnees for the Rainbow Warriors, who lost six seniors – including the team’s top five scorers – from their recently completed  season that ended at 20-14 in the Big West semifinals. Starting center Bernardo da Silva was one of the losses; he was an All-Big West honorable mention after averaging 11.7 points and 7.0 rebounds.

Seck played 19 games for the Rainbow Warriors this season, including the first seven games of Big West play before going down with his injury in a practice drill. He averaged 4.0 points, 2.9 rebounds and just over a block per game in 12.8 minutes playing behind da Silva. As a freshman, he averaged 9.0 minutes with 2.4 points and 2.6 rebounds per game, with 24 blocks in 29 games.

He put together his best stretch of play near the end of his freshman season when he filled in for an ailing da Silva. Seck had 14 points, 16 rebounds and four blocked shots to key a senior night victory over UC Irvine. He averaged a double-double across three starts before reverting to a backup role for a Big West tournament loss.

"That’s the best memory too, maybe," Seck said of the UCI win. "I really enjoyed that moment and hopefully I will get that moment back because I really enjoyed that."

Seck shot 49-for-80 (61.3%) from the field over the two seasons and 50-for-76 (65.8%) on free throws.

Note: This story has been updated with interviews with Mor Seck and Eran Ganot.

Note: The day of the week was corrected to Saturday.

Brian McInnis covers the state's sports scene for Spectrum News Hawaii. He can be reached at brian.mcinnis@charter.com.