During one of the first official practices for the University of Hawai‘i men's basketball team ahead of the upcoming 2026-2027 season, a staffer was seen lobbing a silky, perfectly placed alley-oop to a Rainbow Warrior forward. Who was this mystery man with the assist, and what's his hoops background?
Upon further inspection, it turned out the pass came from Brett Sheward, the team's new graduate manager. Sheward certainly knows a thing or two about dishing assists to high-flyers, though most of his expertise in that regard came from the volleyball court.
Sheward, a Southern California native, was a member of the University of Hawai‘i men's volleyball team from 2019 to 2023. In the team's COVID-shortened 2020 season, he started eight of the team's 16 matches at setter. After backing up eventual AVCA Player of the Year Jakob Thelle in 2021, Sheward was the team's primary libero in 2022 and 2023, a crucial cog for a program that won national titles in 2021 and 2022 before losing in the 2023 NCAA championship match.
Ahead of his final collegiate season in 2024, Sheward transferred to UC Irvine, where he went back to being a setter and helped the Anteaters reach the NCAA semifinals.
With his playing career behind him, Sheward is back at UH-Mānoa pursuing a graduate degree in finance with eyes on a potential career in basketball.
"I was always trying to get into basketball eventually," Sheward told Aloha State Daily. "I've always loved it and thought about it for the past four or five years, just trying to think about what's available in the basketball space, sort of the behind-the-scenes work, not the coaching side. Studying finance, trying to mix sports and the finance world, and just thought of ways I can get experience in that space.
"That was the feedback I got from people I talked to in the industry: get a graduate degree, then move on to jobs further than that. It's a good experience to start as a GA, and honestly, it's been great because it's all new to me, right? I get to do a little bit of everything and be visible and learn everything about how a basketball team is run and operates."
Sheward grew up loving basketball and playing on various teams but chose to focus on volleyball midway through high school when it became clear the latter would be his sport at the college level. The new gig has allowed him to reconnect with basketball and as he's already shown, he doesn't mind getting in on the action from time to time.
"I absolutely love [basketball]. I think it's an awesome game. It's another true team sport where everyone has to be connected. That part of it is awesome," Sheward says. "But I'm by no means a good basketball player. I just love it. ... I still love playing. We get to play usually on Tuesdays and Thursdays with the staff, so that part has been fun, and hopping in every once in a while in practice."
How would Sheward describe his game during pickup runs?
"Definitely a pass-first, effort, defense guy," he says. "I'll hit an open 3 if it's a slow set shot, but definitely more of a defensive guy. I think defensive in every sport, honestly, if I really think about it, like trying to anticipate what the offensive guy is trying to do, and then just the effort part. So defense first for sure, and let the other guys on the team score."
Sheward describes the opportunity with the men's basketball team as "killing two birds with one stone." On top of the experience he's set to accumulate, he'll graduate with his master's in finance in the spring. Between now and then, he's ready to pay his dues on the hardwood.
"You're starting at the bottom. You got to work your way up, and you have to be ready for anything. You're on call, and your goal is to try and make everyone's lives easier. Coaches, players, and trying to make it run smoothly. If there's something that you're asked to do, no matter how small the task, you got to be willing to do it, and you got to come at it with a lot of humility and no ego. It's been great," Sheward said. "The coaches have been awesome in terms of the relationship piece and just building trust with each other."
Though Sheward is still new to the gig and vice versa, count UH men's head coach Eran Ganot as one of those impressed by his presence in the early going.
"His love for Hawai‘i, his love for UH, his love for the athletic department, his work ethic, his character, and he wanted to get into this side," Ganot said when asked how the Sheward hire came about from his perspective. "He's already made a big impact for us. Obviously, everybody knows about his leadership values, his understanding of winning, but he's just been a breath of fresh air.
"He's a hard worker and has a bright future. He has a basketball background, and now he's getting thrown in the fire. But just such a great attitude every day, and it's really been helpful for us."
Christian Shimabuku can be reached at christian@alohastatedaily.com.
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