Washington Wizards: 4 players to watch when NBA season resumes
By Ethan Smith
Washington Wizards Player to Watch: Rui Hachimura
Let’s call this final stretch of the season chapter three for Rui Hachimura’s first year with the Washington Wizards.
Chapter one: 25 games; 13.9 ppg; 5.8 rpg; 1.6 apg
Chapter two: 16 games; 12.5 ppg; 6.5 rpg; 1.9 apg
Chapter three: ???
Coming out of the draft, one of the knocks on Hachimura was his low ceiling, a product of his less than elite athleticism (at least on the NBA level). But while Hachimura might not have the burst of a Coby White, or the leaping ability of Zion Williamson and Ja Morant, he has looked comfortable and confident since game one. And he’s only progressed throughout the season.
Hachimura certainly has room to grow. His three-point shot is not a threat. He’s also had trouble finishing at the rim against NBA size and strength (This ain’t Gonzaga anymore). But he’s great at identifying mismatches and taking advantage of them without hesitation. And while he often got tunnel vision towards as the closed in on the rim earlier in the season, he’s already progressed as a playmaker and looks for teammates more often.
Since Rui returned from injury – during chapter two – he’s looked more comfortable as a distributor. Having only been playing high-level basketball for a few years, you hope he can continue to grow on the job, much like he already has throughout his rookie season.
After the extended and unexpected lay off, will Rui come back with even more improvements and adjustments? It should be fun to see how he closes out what should be an All-Rookie season.