Rise to Success: Career Highlights of Rui Hachimura

Discover the career path of Rui Hachimura, from the first major opportunity to industry-changing achievements.

Rui Hachimura is a Japanese professional basketball player currently playing for the Los Angeles Lakers in the NBA. He is a power forward who previously played college basketball for the Gonzaga Bulldogs. Hachimura was drafted ninth overall by the Washington Wizards in the 2019 NBA draft and was selected for the NBA All-Rookie Second Team in 2020. He also represents the Japan national team in international competitions.

Sections (3)

Full Timeline Career & Achievements Success & Recognition

1981: Second Japanese Player Drafted into NBA

In the 1981 NBA draft, Yasutaka Okayama became the first Japanese-born player to be drafted into the NBA, with Hachimura being the second.

December 29, 2013: All-Japan High School Tournament Title

On December 29, 2013, Rui Hachimura led the Meisei High School basketball team to its second title in the All-Japan High School Tournament, scoring 32 points.

2013: FIBA Asia U16 Championship

In 2013, at the FIBA Asia U16 Championship in Iran, Rui Hachimura averaged 22.8 points, 12.6 rebounds and 2.8 blocks, guiding his team to a third-place finish.

April 2014: Albert Schweitzer Tournament

In April 2014, Rui Hachimura played the Albert Schweitzer Tournament in Germany with Japan's under 18 national team, finishing in last place.

2014: FIBA U17 World Championships

In 2014, Japan finished the FIBA U17 World Championships 14th of 16 teams, with Rui Hachimura scoring a tournament-high 22.6 points per game.

2014: Second Straight Tournament Win

In 2014, Rui Hachimura helped his team win the All-Japan High School Tournament for a second straight year.

April 2015: Jordan Brand Classic Invitation

In April 2015, Rui Hachimura was invited to the Jordan Brand Classic, where he recorded nine points and five rebounds in the International Game.

November 21, 2015: Signs with Gonzaga

On November 21, 2015, Rui Hachimura signed a National Letter of Intent to play college basketball for the Gonzaga Bulldogs in the US.

December 29, 2015: Third All-Japan Tournament Victory

On December 29, 2015, Rui Hachimura posted 34 points, 19 rebounds, and three blocks to guide Meisei past Tsuchiura Nihon University High School for his third All-Japan Tournament victory.

November 11, 2016: Gonzaga Debut

On November 11, 2016, Rui Hachimura made his regular season debut for the Gonzaga Bulldogs against Utah Valley, becoming the fifth Japanese-born player to ever play NCAA Division I basketball.

2016: Joins Gonzaga

In 2016, Rui Hachimura joined Gonzaga as the fifth Japanese-born men's NCAA Division I player.

February 23, 2017: West Coast Conference Title

On February 23, 2017, Rui Hachimura scored eight points against San Diego, helping his team win the West Coast Conference (WCC) title.

March 16, 2017: NCAA Tournament Appearance

On March 16, 2017, Rui Hachimura became the first Japanese native to ever appear in the NCAA Division I men's tournament, playing one minute against South Dakota State.

2017: First Japanese Player in NCAA Tournament

In 2017, Rui Hachimura became the first Japanese national to play in the NCAA Division I men's tournament.

2017: FIBA Under-19 Basketball World Cup

In 2017, Rui Hachimura competed for Japan in the FIBA Under-19 Basketball World Cup, averaging team-bests 20.6 points and 11.0 rebounds a contest.

2017: Appears in 37 games for Gonzaga

In the 2017–18 campaign, Hachimura appeared in 37 games for Gonzaga, including two starts, averaging 11.6 points and 4.7 rebounds per contest.

November 6, 2018: Season Opener

On November 6, 2018, Rui Hachimura opened the regular season by scoring 33 points in a 120–79 win over Idaho State.

November 21, 2018: Upsets Duke in Maui Invitational

On November 21, 2018, Rui Hachimura recorded 20 points, 7 rebounds, and 5 assists to help upset No. 1-ranked Duke in the Maui Invitational finals, subsequently being named most valuable player of the tournament.

April 15, 2019: Declares for NBA Draft

On April 15, 2019, Rui Hachimura announced that he would forgo his final year of eligibility and declared for the 2019 NBA draft.

October 23, 2019: NBA Debut

On October 23, 2019, Rui Hachimura made his NBA debut, posting a double-double (14 points, 10 rebounds) as a starter in a 100–108 loss to the Dallas Mavericks.

December 1, 2019: Career-High 30 Points

On December 1, 2019, Rui Hachimura scored a then career-high 30 points in a 125–150 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers.

December 2019: First Japanese Players to Face Each Other in the NBA

In December 2019, Rui Hachimura and Yuta Watanabe became the first pair of Japanese players to face each other in the NBA.

2019: WCC Player of the Year

In 2019, Rui Hachimura was selected as the WCC Player of the Year. He led Gonzaga in scoring with 19.7 points per game.

2019: FIBA World Cup Qualification

In 2019, during a qualification round for the FIBA World Cup, Rui Hachimura scored 25 points to help Japan defeat Iran 70–56.

September 15, 2020: Named to NBA All-Rookie Second Team

On September 15, 2020, Rui Hachimura was named to the NBA All-Rookie Second Team.

2020: Tokyo Olympics Loss to Slovenia

During the preliminary round of the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo, Rui Hachimura scored a game high 34 points in a loss to Slovenia.

March 30, 2021: Ties Career High of 30 Points

On March 30, 2021, Rui Hachimura tied his then career high of 30 points in a 104–114 loss to the Charlotte Hornets.

January 9, 2022: Season Debut

On January 9, 2022, Rui Hachimura made his season debut, recording six points and three rebounds in a 102–100 win over the Orlando Magic.

2022: 2022-2023 season Averages

For the 2022-2023 season, Hachimura averaged 11.2 points, 4.5 rebounds, and shot 48.6% on field goals.

January 21, 2023: Career-High-Tying 30 Points

On January 21, 2023, in his last game before being traded, Rui Hachimura recorded a then career-high-tying 30 points in a 138–118 win over the Orlando Magic.

January 23, 2023: Traded to the Los Angeles Lakers

On January 23, 2023, Rui Hachimura was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers in exchange for Kendrick Nunn and three second-round draft picks.

July 6, 2023: Re-Signs with Lakers

On July 6, 2023, Rui Hachimura re-signed with the Los Angeles Lakers.

December 9, 2023: Wins NBA In-Season Tournament

On December 9, 2023, Rui Hachimura and the Lakers won the inaugural season of the NBA In-Season Tournament, also known as the NBA Cup.

2023: Brother plays in B.League

As of the 2023-24 B.League season, Hachimura's younger brother, Allen, plays for the Gunma Crane Thunders.

2023: Withdraws from FIBA World Cup

In 2023, Rui Hachimura withdrew from the FIBA World Cup citing exhaustion from the NBA season and playoffs and the need to prepare for the following NBA season.

2023: Vital Part of Lakers Rotation

In the 2023 NBA playoffs, Hachimura was a vital part of the Lakers rotation on both ends of the court.

February 14, 2024: New Career High of 36 Points

On February 14, 2024, Rui Hachimura set a new career high of 36 points in a 138–122 victory over the Utah Jazz.

2024: Maintains Scoring Average

In 2024-25 Rui Hachimura's scoring average remained steady at 13.1 ppg, while his two-point percentage was 50.1% and his three-point percentage was 41.3%.