For a self-described "late developer," Bill Amis is developing into an early surprise for the University of Hawai'i men's basketball team.

Amis, a 6-foot-9, 220-pound sophomore forward, has emerged as one of the top newcomers during the preseason for the Rainbow Warriors. In an intrasquad scrimmage on Saturday, he scored 15 points and grabbed a team-high 10 rebounds.

"We knew he had the ability," Hawai'i head coach Bob Nash said. "But he's picking up things a lot faster than we thought he would. If he keeps going the way he is, he's going to be a good one for us."

Amis is no stranger to surprise.

While growing up in Oklahoma City, Okla., he was never the tallest — or best — player on his basketball teams. As a freshman in high school, he was a 5-11 guard.

"I'm a late developer," he said. "I didn't really start getting this tall until my senior year (of high school). I hope I'm still growing, but I'm kind of surprised I'm even this tall. My dad is only 6 feet."

Because of his late growth spurt, Amis is still learning how to play in the low post.

"I was a guard until my senior year of high school, so this is only my third year (as a forward)," he said.

However, his early training as a perimeter player is a bonus.

"He's a little more athletic than you anticipate," Nash said. "He's long and he's smooth, and he has a nice shot."

The combination of height, long arms, athleticism and a left-handed shot makes Amis an intriguing prospect. During last week's scrimmage, he proved capable of draining a 15-foot jump shot or taking it inside for a dunk.

In addition to his skills, he apparently brought a nice attitude with him to Hawai'i. During his last five years of basketball, Amis was a reserve player on quality teams.

As a senior at Putnam City High in Oklahoma City, he was the sixth man on a team that won the state championship.

Last year, he was also the sixth man at Pratt Community College (Kan.), where he averaged 7.4 points and 4.6 rebounds per game as a freshman.

"I'd like to be a starter, but I guess I've gotten pretty good at coming into a game with a lot of energy," Amis said. "If that's what I have to do this year, I'm fine with that. I'll just try to rebound, block shots and hit the open shot when I get it."

Amis suiting up in a Hawai'i uniform this season is a surprise in itself. His initial plan was to stay at Pratt for his sophomore season.

Nash — and other NCAA Division I coaches — discovered Amis at a camp for junior college players during the summer. Amis said Iowa, Texas A&M, Wichita State, TCU and Eastern Kentucky were the other programs that showed interest in him.

He signed with Hawai'i in mid-August — three months after the "late" signing period ended in May.

"I wanted to play at the next level," Amis said. "Another year of junior college wouldn't have developed my game that much. Just in the short time I've been here, I've learned so much more."

If there is a weakness to Amis' game right now, it might be his lanky build.

"He's still developing," Nash said. "But he's a sophomore, so I think another year or two working with the weights, and his body will catch up."

Amis is already adjusting to the Hawai'i lifestyle.

Because he has relatives in California, Amis said he already knew how to surf before coming here.

"I went out surfing at Waikiki a couple of times," he said. "It was fun, but I'm not ready for the North Shore or anything like that."

He has also taken a liking to some of the local food, including bentos and sushi. "I can eat a lot of that stuff," he said.

Amis will turn 20 on Thursday, but he is not planning on much of a celebration.

"I'll probably just rest," he said. "It's a long season and we've got a lot of work to do."

NOTES

When Amis was on the freshman team at Putnam City High, current UH point guard Matt Gibson was a senior and the star player on the varsity. "I don't want him to get a big head, but yeah, we all looked up to him back then," Amis said.

Individual game tickets for the 2007-08 basketball season will go on sale Monday. For information, visit www.hawaiiathletics.com.

Reach Dayton Morinaga at dmorinaga@honoluluadvertiser.com.