Coming into the United States, no one would have thought that Rui Hachimura would get over with the American audience and experts with his on-court abilities and friendly personality. Rui was an established junior player who had left his mark playing competitive basketball and winning championships in the process back in Japan. After committing to Gonzaga in November 2015, Rui took his time in preparing and meeting the eligibility requirements.
Rui went on to play three seasons for Gonzaga and emerged as a polished performer by the end of his run. Despite playing very little during his freshman season, Rui bounced back in the subsequent years. He played a total of 74 games in his sophomore and junior season and averaged 15.6 points, 5.6 rebounds, 0.7 steals, and 0.6 blocks per contest.
Seeing his potential, Rui wasted no time and declared for the 2019 NBA Draft and was picked ninth overall by the Washington Wizards.
Rui was a phenomenal athlete at Gonzaga and is an excellent player in the NBA as well, but not well-known for representing his National team.
Rui Hachimura National Team
Rui plays for team Japan in International competitions. Hachimura first represented team Japan in the 2013 FIBA U16 Asia Championship hosted by Iran and dominated the competition by averaging 22.8 points, 12.6 rebounds, and 2.8 blocks per contest, securing Japan the third spot.
Rui was part of Japan’s 2014 FIBA U17 World Cup team and managed a performance similar to 2013, averaging 22.6 points, 6.6 rebounds, 1.3 steals, and 1.7 blocks in seven games played.
In 2017, Rui made the Japanese team for the U19 World Cup and as usual, didn’t disappoint. He averaged 20.6 points, 11 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 0.9 steals, and 1.4 blocks per game. Japan managed to make it to the round of 16 but a closely contested loss against Italy ended the team’s run.
2019 marked another significant moment for Rui Hachimura's national team career when he participated in the FIBA World Cup held in China. Rui averaged 13.3 points, 5.7 rebounds, 2.3 assists, and 1.7 blocks per contest.
Rui Hachimura’s recent appearance for the National team was in the 2020 Summer Olympics held in Japan. He didn’t hold back in the three games he played, averaging 22.3 points, 6.7 rebounds, 0.3 steals, and 0.7 blocks. Hachimura could have ended up dominating the entire tournament but as Japan got eliminated in the preliminary round, Rui and the team had to settle with their performance.
Rui Hachimura is part of Team Japan's squad for the upcoming 2023 FIBA Men’s World Cup.
Although still relatively early in his professional journey, Rui Hachimura's impact both on Japan's national team and within the NBA is undeniably significant. As he continues to improve and gain more experience, it will be intriguing to witness how Hachimura further elevates himself and leaves a lasting legacy in basketball.
FAQs
A. Born on February 8, 1998, Hachimura is 25 years old.
A. Rui attended Gonzaga University, located in Spokane, Washington.
A. Yes. Rui was born to a Japanese mother and a Beninese father.
A. Rui earns an annual salary of $17 Million according to his three-year $51 Million contract.
