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 previously played college basketball for the Gonzaga Bulldogs. Hachimura represents the Japan national team and plays the power forward position. He was drafted ninth overall by the Washington Wizards in the 2019 NBA draft. In 2020, he was named to the NBA All-Rookie Second Team.

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Full Timeline Career & Achievements Success & Recognition

December 29, 2013: Leads Meisei High School to Victory

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

At the 2013 FIBA Asia U16 Championship in Iran, Rui Hachimura averaged 22.8 points, 12.6 rebounds and 2.8 blocks.

April 2014: Albert Schweitzer Tournament

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

2014: Second Straight Tournament Win

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

2014: FIBA U17 World Championships

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

April 2015: Invited to Jordan Brand Classic

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

November 21, 2015: Signed with Gonzaga Bulldogs

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, recording one point and three rebounds. He became the fifth Japanese-born player to ever play NCAA Division I basketball.

2016: Joined Gonzaga

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

February 23, 2017: Helped Team Win WCC 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: Appeared in NCAA Division I Men's Tournament

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

2017: First Japanese National in NCAA Division I Men's 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.

2017: Appeared in 37 games for Gonzaga

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

November 6, 2018: Opened Season with 33 Points

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: Upset No. 1-Ranked Duke

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, and was named most valuable player of the tournament.

April 15, 2019: Declared 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 with the Washington Wizards, posting a double-double with 14 points and 10 rebounds.

December 1, 2019: Career High 30 Points

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

December 2019: First Pair of Japanese Players 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. Hachimura also suffered a groin injury and had surgery.

2019: Drafted by Washington Wizards

In 2019, Rui Hachimura was selected ninth overall by the Washington Wizards in the NBA draft.

2019: WCC Player of the Year

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

2019: Defeated Iran in FIBA World Cup Qualification

In a qualification round for the 2019 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: Scored 34 Points in Olympics

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

March 30, 2021: Tied Career High of 30 Points

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

2022: Played season with Lakers

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

January 21, 2023: Tied Career High Before Trade

On January 21, 2023, in his last game before being traded, Rui Hachimura recorded a then career-high-tying 30 points in a 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-signed with Los Angeles Lakers

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

December 9, 2023: Won NBA In-Season Tournament

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

2023: Withdrew from FIBA World Cup

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

2023: Vital Role in Lakers Playoff Run

In the 2023 NBA playoffs, Rui Hachimura played a vital role in the Lakers rotation, contributing on both offense and defense, including guarding Nikola Jokić in the Western Conference Finals.