Rui Hachimura looks like a stud and he has not even played an NBA game yet. It feels like he could become future a star in the league!
Next season, the Wizards are looking like bottom dwellers. They just do not have much going for them. However, there is one silver lining, and that is Rui Hachimura.
Hachimura looks like a stud, and he has not even played an NBA game yet. The Japanese rookie out of Gonzaga University balled out in Summer League and is now putting Japan on his his back in the FIBA World Cup.
In Summer League, Hachimura averaged 19.3 points and 7 rebounds. His outstanding play led him to be nominated to the NBA Summer League Second Team.
Hachimura is also leading Japan in the FIBA World Cup. In every game, he puts up astronomical numbers, including this game against New Zealand in mid-August where he put up 35 points.
If his impressive Summer League and International play is any indication of the kind of player Hachimura will be in the NBA, Wizards fans should be very excited. They should be more excited for him than they were for any other Wizard’s rookie since Bradley Beal.
Since Beal, the Wizards have acquired numerous rookies. The three most noticeable, outside of Hachimura, were Otto Porter, Kelly Oubre, and Troy Brown. All three of these players barely saw playing time in their rookie years. Hachimura, on the other hand, is projected to be in the Wizard’s starting lineup next season.
Porter was the third overall pick, but took lots of time to develop as he dealt with injuries in the beginning of his career. Hachimura is healthy and can begin developing his NBA game right away.
Oubre was flashy and had lots of talent, but it was raw talent. Hachimura’s game is more NBA ready than Oubre’s was when he entered the league.
Brown has grit and he is a guy that can do it all on the court, but his talent level does not compare to Hachimura’s.
Porter, Oubre, and Brown are all good and respectable players, but none of them have that IT factor that Hachimura has.
This guy is completely overlooked in the US because he is not named Zion Williamson. However, Japan has taken notice of Hachimura, as he has become one of the country’s biggest stars. Japan, normally a big baseball country, has begun to love basketball for the very first time because of him.
Hachimura could be a dark horse candidate for rookie of the year. He also has the potential to be an all-star for years to come. When John Wall is healthy in 2020, the Wizards could be looking at a dominate big three of Wall, Beal, and Hachimura.
While this is all speculation, one thing is for sure, Hachimura means business. Wizards fans should be extremely excited about this guy and how he will lead this team from the bottom of the league to the top.