University Southern California Trojans
Players Mentioned
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/ Men's Basketball
Photo by: Katie Chin
Q&A with Aaron Hunkin-Claytor
July 02, 2026 | Men's Basketball
LOS ANGELES — With a talented mix of returners, transfers and blue-chip freshman recruits, the USC Men's Basketball team is looking to make the NCAA Tournament in Head Coach Eric Musselman's third year.
One of the incoming transfers, junior guard Aaron Hunkin-Claytor, sat down to talk about his journey from Hawaii to California, his experience going to the NCAA Tournament with Hawaii last season and how being a quarterback helped him grow as a point guard.
What was your recruiting pitch to come to USC?
It wasn't a hard choice. 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.
Another part of the pitch was that USC needed an extension of the coach on the floor — someone who could facilitate, not turn over the ball, and do things that they struggled with last year. They saw I could come in and help the team improve.
You came over from Hawaii to USC with Assistant Coach Brad Davidson. What's it been like learning the ropes at USC with someone else, and what's your relationship with him been like so far?
He's been a lot of help in the recruitment process. A lot of stuff that we learned and have been learning about USC has been together. All the coaches and the other players who came in as transfers are really supportive and have been helping us along the way.
At Hawaii, I had the most "freshman" freshman year possible. I played on and off the ball — I've been on the bench, I've started, I've done everything. Coach Davidson and I have a kind of relationship where he could get on me, yell at me, talk to me on and off the court about things. Our relationship really has been good since the beginning and it's really improved every year.
You were part of a Hawaii team that made the NCAA Tournament for the first time in a decade. What did you learn from the experience of winning a tough one-bid league like the Big West and making the tournament?
I learned what it takes to get to the tournament and the feeling of being there. Once you go to the tournament, you don't want to miss it ever again. You're fighting for that feeling every time you step on the court after that.
How has your career gone up until this point? Were there moments along the way that changed you as a player and as a person, and what do you hope to bring to the team this year?
Last year was a huge year for me. In the summer, I knew how to get physically stronger; I gained about 12 pounds going into the season. I knew I had to shoot, pass, and do everything I do as a player at a higher level. And I think that helped my team a lot.
I also struggled with some injuries early on. Being off the court was really tough, but that helped me from a mental standpoint to see the game from a different point of view as well.
Were there any games along the way that really boosted your confidence and showed you that you can play high-level, Division 1 basketball?
I've always had the confidence where I think I could play it with anybody. But early last season we played at Arizona State. Going into it, their point guard, Moe Odum, was one of the top-5 assist leaders in the nation and he was their leading scorer. I ended up outscoring him.
I had a really good game that I definitely needed in that early season. I broke my hand before the season started, so I wasn't in a rhythm early in the year. But after I played them, my season really flourished from there.
What players did you look up to — whether they were teammates or pro players you watched — when you grew up?
When I was younger, I was kind of a slower player. I liked players like Paul Pierce — he was not the fastest player, but he knew how to get his shot off and play. And I liked other great point guards. Russell Westbrook was my favorite player. Jason Kidd was a Northern California player, and some of the coaches I've been involved with in NorCal helped him when he was in high school. I also liked a lot of the pass-first point guards — John Stockton, Chris Paul and other players like them.
For fans who haven't watched you play before, what's your style of play? What parts of your game do you take pride in?
For a player comparison, I'd say Tyrese Haliburton. I play defense a lot, I get steals and make exciting plays when I feed the ball to my teammates. My goal is to facilitate, not turn the ball over and make sure I'm an extension of the coaches on the court.
Where does that unselfishness come from?
I played football growing up — that was my main sport. I was a quarterback, and I think that helped a lot. I was able to see the court how I see the field and see reads and things like that.
I also knew there are scorers in every state. I had to be a little different to get to college, but I knew once I got talent around me, I could be a really good player.
Out of curiosity, what were you like as a quarterback and who did you try to emulate?
My favorite quarterback growing up was Michael Vick because he was able to run and pass. He did everything. Now, I try to translate that to the court. When I'm dribbling, I'm not thinking about scoring the whole time — I think about how I can get my players in the right positions while getting my own shots here and there.
When did you decide to focus on basketball?
The summer when I was in eighth grade was when I really took basketball seriously, which is pretty late for a lot of people. When I did that, I went to the 'Iolani School, which is a private school in Hawaii, and I stopped playing football completely.
Speaking of high school, you went to high school in Northern California, but you're from Hawaii. What was moving out there during such a formative time like, and what was it like moving back to Hawaii for college?
My family sacrificed everything to go over to California. I risked it and bet on myself. I knew that I could play at a high level of Division 1 basketball. So I went over to Northern California and played for Salesian College Preparatory. I made a little bit of noise and then I was able to go back home to Hawaii, which was really nice to do.
What was it like playing for your home state in Hawaii?
The energy there is crazy. The fans love you, win or lose. They just love to see players play hard, which is really important for them. Being from there and playing there was insane to feel because growing up, we looked up to those guys. Being a local kid and a Polynesian kid on the court was super important to me.
What has the team atmosphere been like during the summer practices so far?
I can tell everybody loves the game, including the coaches. Another thing I've noticed is the coaches don't get on you for missing shots — they get on you for how much effort you give and all the other things that you have control over. I think that's a big thing that a lot of coaches in basketball don't understand. Shots aren't going to fall sometimes, but you can consistently give a good effort. Them being honest about that is very nice to see.
There are a few guys on the team that have come from mid-majors too and are making the leap to play at the Power 4 level. How have you guys been learning from each other?
We all take it on the chin every day. We learn from each other, get shots up with each other and we talk to each other about new things we've seen here and how it's different from where we were before. We also all know we're all here for a reason, and that we're capable. We have the utmost confidence in ourselves to come here, play and do the best we can.
In what ways do you want to grow this year at USC, both as a player and as a person?
As a person, I'm on my own now. I don't really have a lot of family out in this part of California, so I'm living by myself and I'm learning my own ways. As a player, I want to get physically stronger, shoot at a higher percentage, and do everything I know I can do, but at a higher rate.
I also want to win. Growing up, my dad always said that we should hate losing more than we like winning. I want to get on the court, play my game and not be rushed. There's so much talent on this roster, which makes my job a lot easier. The way I play is to make people's jobs easier, so I think it goes hand-in-hand with how much talent we have.
One of the incoming transfers, junior guard Aaron Hunkin-Claytor, sat down to talk about his journey from Hawaii to California, his experience going to the NCAA Tournament with Hawaii last season and how being a quarterback helped him grow as a point guard.
What was your recruiting pitch to come to USC?
It wasn't a hard choice. 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.
Another part of the pitch was that USC needed an extension of the coach on the floor — someone who could facilitate, not turn over the ball, and do things that they struggled with last year. They saw I could come in and help the team improve.
You came over from Hawaii to USC with Assistant Coach Brad Davidson. What's it been like learning the ropes at USC with someone else, and what's your relationship with him been like so far?
He's been a lot of help in the recruitment process. A lot of stuff that we learned and have been learning about USC has been together. All the coaches and the other players who came in as transfers are really supportive and have been helping us along the way.
At Hawaii, I had the most "freshman" freshman year possible. I played on and off the ball — I've been on the bench, I've started, I've done everything. Coach Davidson and I have a kind of relationship where he could get on me, yell at me, talk to me on and off the court about things. Our relationship really has been good since the beginning and it's really improved every year.
You were part of a Hawaii team that made the NCAA Tournament for the first time in a decade. What did you learn from the experience of winning a tough one-bid league like the Big West and making the tournament?
I learned what it takes to get to the tournament and the feeling of being there. Once you go to the tournament, you don't want to miss it ever again. You're fighting for that feeling every time you step on the court after that.
How has your career gone up until this point? Were there moments along the way that changed you as a player and as a person, and what do you hope to bring to the team this year?
Last year was a huge year for me. In the summer, I knew how to get physically stronger; I gained about 12 pounds going into the season. I knew I had to shoot, pass, and do everything I do as a player at a higher level. And I think that helped my team a lot.
I also struggled with some injuries early on. Being off the court was really tough, but that helped me from a mental standpoint to see the game from a different point of view as well.
Were there any games along the way that really boosted your confidence and showed you that you can play high-level, Division 1 basketball?
I've always had the confidence where I think I could play it with anybody. But early last season we played at Arizona State. Going into it, their point guard, Moe Odum, was one of the top-5 assist leaders in the nation and he was their leading scorer. I ended up outscoring him.
I had a really good game that I definitely needed in that early season. I broke my hand before the season started, so I wasn't in a rhythm early in the year. But after I played them, my season really flourished from there.
What players did you look up to — whether they were teammates or pro players you watched — when you grew up?
When I was younger, I was kind of a slower player. I liked players like Paul Pierce — he was not the fastest player, but he knew how to get his shot off and play. And I liked other great point guards. Russell Westbrook was my favorite player. Jason Kidd was a Northern California player, and some of the coaches I've been involved with in NorCal helped him when he was in high school. I also liked a lot of the pass-first point guards — John Stockton, Chris Paul and other players like them.
For fans who haven't watched you play before, what's your style of play? What parts of your game do you take pride in?
For a player comparison, I'd say Tyrese Haliburton. I play defense a lot, I get steals and make exciting plays when I feed the ball to my teammates. My goal is to facilitate, not turn the ball over and make sure I'm an extension of the coaches on the court.
Where does that unselfishness come from?
I played football growing up — that was my main sport. I was a quarterback, and I think that helped a lot. I was able to see the court how I see the field and see reads and things like that.
I also knew there are scorers in every state. I had to be a little different to get to college, but I knew once I got talent around me, I could be a really good player.
Out of curiosity, what were you like as a quarterback and who did you try to emulate?
My favorite quarterback growing up was Michael Vick because he was able to run and pass. He did everything. Now, I try to translate that to the court. When I'm dribbling, I'm not thinking about scoring the whole time — I think about how I can get my players in the right positions while getting my own shots here and there.
When did you decide to focus on basketball?
The summer when I was in eighth grade was when I really took basketball seriously, which is pretty late for a lot of people. When I did that, I went to the 'Iolani School, which is a private school in Hawaii, and I stopped playing football completely.
Speaking of high school, you went to high school in Northern California, but you're from Hawaii. What was moving out there during such a formative time like, and what was it like moving back to Hawaii for college?
My family sacrificed everything to go over to California. I risked it and bet on myself. I knew that I could play at a high level of Division 1 basketball. So I went over to Northern California and played for Salesian College Preparatory. I made a little bit of noise and then I was able to go back home to Hawaii, which was really nice to do.
What was it like playing for your home state in Hawaii?
The energy there is crazy. The fans love you, win or lose. They just love to see players play hard, which is really important for them. Being from there and playing there was insane to feel because growing up, we looked up to those guys. Being a local kid and a Polynesian kid on the court was super important to me.
What has the team atmosphere been like during the summer practices so far?
I can tell everybody loves the game, including the coaches. Another thing I've noticed is the coaches don't get on you for missing shots — they get on you for how much effort you give and all the other things that you have control over. I think that's a big thing that a lot of coaches in basketball don't understand. Shots aren't going to fall sometimes, but you can consistently give a good effort. Them being honest about that is very nice to see.
There are a few guys on the team that have come from mid-majors too and are making the leap to play at the Power 4 level. How have you guys been learning from each other?
We all take it on the chin every day. We learn from each other, get shots up with each other and we talk to each other about new things we've seen here and how it's different from where we were before. We also all know we're all here for a reason, and that we're capable. We have the utmost confidence in ourselves to come here, play and do the best we can.
In what ways do you want to grow this year at USC, both as a player and as a person?
As a person, I'm on my own now. I don't really have a lot of family out in this part of California, so I'm living by myself and I'm learning my own ways. As a player, I want to get physically stronger, shoot at a higher percentage, and do everything I know I can do, but at a higher rate.
I also want to win. Growing up, my dad always said that we should hate losing more than we like winning. I want to get on the court, play my game and not be rushed. There's so much talent on this roster, which makes my job a lot easier. The way I play is to make people's jobs easier, so I think it goes hand-in-hand with how much talent we have.
Monday, June 22
Monday, June 22
Monday, June 22
Monday, June 22
