Stefan Jankovic walked slowly up the stairs toward the basketball offices. He opened the door and ambled around the familiar front desk, pausing to wipe the surface of an “H”-branded display ball, one of several that’d lost their sheen on a rack below the welcoming “University of Hawai’i” sign.

Then he pivoted and faced the cameras, every “H” positioned squarely behind him.

It was time to move on.

Jankovic, UH’s Big West Player of the Year — and first Associated Press All-American honorable mention selection in 14 years — helped give an embattled program a fresh gleam. The junior announced his decision to go pro Wednesday on the heels of one of the finest collective seasons in program history.

“I wanted to represent Hawaii as best as I could, and I think this was the best way that I can represent Hawaii,” said the 6-foot-11 Serbian-Canadian.

UH coach Eran Ganot offered Jankovic his support after meeting with the player this week.

“He’s a testament and a great representative of this university, on and off the court and in the classroom and in the community,” Ganot said. “Someone who will be missed, but someone who will always see this as home and likewise.”

After leaving it all out there with a 28-6 season and a program-first NCAA Tournament victory to boot, Jankovic consulted with his family in Toronto over spring break. With a mind toward helping them financially, he realized it was time to give his childhood dream — being drafted — a real chance.

He is in the process of hiring an agent, then will delve into the courtship process with teams in preparation for the June 23 draft in New York.

Underclassmen without agents now have the option to add their name to the NBA Draft Combine pool then withdraw if the feedback is lukewarm (or worse), but Jankovic isn’t about half measures.

“I know I want to go full into the draft. I don’t want to go into it half,” he said. “I’m going to graduate and finish my classes and everything. All that’s going to be OK.”

Even after posting team bests of 15.6 points, 6.6 rebounds and 54.3 percent shooting from the field, Jankovic enters the fray as a somewhat unknown commodity, by his own admission a “late bloomer” who just played his first full season of college basketball. The independent projection website NBADraft.net does not have him listed on its big board of top 100 prospects; 60 players are actually drafted.

Still, Jankovic’s versatile skill set — a stretch 4 with ball-handling abilities, and finishing ability with either hand around the rim — could have wide appeal in the modern pro game.

“I know that I have a big heart. I’m going to push and try my best,” Jankovic said. “I’m realistic too, if the NBA isn’t there, there’s overseas options everywhere. I have a Serbian passport. So I’m going to explore the best options for me.”

Jankovic was one of four ’Bows juniors with a decision to make because of the NCAA’s postseason ban in place for next season, allowing that group to transfer to another Division I school without penalty. Aaron Valdes, Mike Thomas and Stefan Jovanovic still have yet to make their intentions known publicly.

UH still has an appeal of the ban in the works, but it might not get resolved until July. Jankovic said that after some initial trepidation about the NCAA during the season, he would’ve settled on this outcome anyway, adding he did not consider playing for another school.

“The actual NCAA sanctions and stuff really didn’t come to this final decision,” he said.

Guard Niko Filipovich took it pretty well. The third-year sophomore, along with Jovanovic, would often converse with “Janks” in Serbian and was one of his best friends on the team.

“He’ll have my full support and … I’ll always be his brother,” Filipovich said. “That first, rather than a teammate. And then being a teammate comes second to that. And of course he’ll be missed on our team. His position won’t be filled as if he was still here, but next man up. That’s how we take it as a team. But as a brother, I’m so proud. And just really proud of all of his accomplishments and I’m really happy for him and his family.”

After using spring break to cool off from the season and talk extensively to teammates, Jankovic knew he’d have support from that corner.

“They know you best, as well as I know myself. I practiced against those guys every day,” Jankovic said. “Them having the belief in me helps your confidence, because those guys have seen you at your best, and at your worst.”

Jankovic transferred to Manoa from Missouri in January of 2014, after playing sparingly in three games for the Tigers as a sophomore. Although he sat out the next two semesters, he still might have required a special NCAA waiver to play a full senior year at UH in 2016-17, a source indicated.

That is now moot.

The big man, UH’s only conference player of the year besides Anthony Carter, said he’ll miss the beach, the weather, the “great people,” and the Stan Sheriff Center.

“The best basketball memories I’ve had have been here,” he said.

“My dream was to play professional basketball. Finally that dream being closer, I have a ton of work to do and I recognize that.”