KAPAAU — When Kohala boys basketball guard Layden Kauka won the 2023 ScoringLive Player of the Year and sank the game-winning jump shot against University in the Division II state championship as a freshman just one year ago, many were shocked at how quickly he reached stardom. But those involved in the Cowboys’ day-to-day activities have known that the current sophomore was unique for quite some time, even years before Kauka reached high school.
“It was probably when he was about 10 years old,” coach Kihei Kapeliela recalled when he first noticed Kauka’s special talent. “He would always play (above his age level) — he doesn’t look at himself as being younger than everybody because he’s been playing up his whole life.”
Kauka grew up consistently playing older competition, often playing grade levels one to two years above him. Always being challenged when stepping in between the court’s lines, he credits his elder teammates — Isaac Salvador-Libron, Jayden Hook and brother Landon Kauka — for pushing his development and growing his innate competitiveness. He also has a second older brother, Laakea, who played for and graduated from Kohala in 2022.
“We’ve been playing with each other for years, so we’ve built that chemistry and trust with one another,” Kauka told West Hawaii today of his teammates. “Especially my brother (Landon); he and I are always competitive and push each other to be better — which really helps the team.”
“It’s motivating to have him on the same team, as we’ve really helped each other develop,” Landon Kauka added.
“With the chemistry we’ve built together, I can always trust him,” Salvador-Libron said of Kauka.
Although his brother and teammates have helped Kauka ascend his game to new heights, his father, Lawrence, also played a big influence in his basketball life. As a former Kohala hoops star from the late 1980s, Kauka commends his pops for instilling his love for the game when he first picked up a basketball at three years old.
“He’s guided me throughout basketball and set a good example for me,” Kauka said of his father.
Kauka’s intense basketball upbringing has certainly benefited the Cowboys. In his second season in a Kohala uniform, Kauka has improved his points per game from 17.1 to 21.1, while also increasing his free throw percentage by over 13 percent. The 6-foot-1 star’s ability to attack the rim and shoot from anywhere on a consistent level has helped the Cowboys’ fast-paced offense average 62.8 points per game in the Big Island Interscholastic Federation (BIIF) — the second-highest in the league.
While Kauka notched a career high of 31 points in his freshman season against Honoka‘a, he’s been much more consistent with his offensive output in 2023-24 while also taking big leaps on defense. Using his quick hands and distinct lateral quickness, Kauka has developed into an elite on-ball defender — notching five games with five or more steals this season.
“I always tell him before every game that he has to be the best player on both sides of the floor,” Kapeliela said. “He’s just a natural talent — everything he does, he makes it look so easy. He makes all of our jobs easier to have a two-way talent like that on our team.”
Kauka hopes to keep improving each year as a player, aiming to play at the collegiate level and to eventually chase his dream of joining the exclusive club of 14 players from Hawaii that were drafted into the NBA.
Given his age and promise, the sky is the limit.
“College is obviously step one,” Kauka explained in his future aspirations.
As a favorite to win player of the year once again, the Cowboys are also in prime position to make another run at state. After recently winning the BIIF Division II with a 14-0 record, Kohala believes its experience and star power will put them right back in the mix to win again.
As for Kauka, he welcomes that pressure.
“We for sure can win (state) again,” he said. “We just have to go into each game with the same confidence and play Kohala basketball.”
“It means a lot to represent our school and community. We have a lot of support around town, and we have to give them what they expect to see every game.”
The Hawaii High School Athletic Association (HHSAA) Division II boys tournment will begin Feb. 22 on Oahu.