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. Before joining the Lakers, he played college basketball for the Gonzaga Bulldogs and was drafted ninth overall by the Washington Wizards in the 2019 NBA draft. He earned NBA All-Rookie Second Team honors in 2020. Hachimura also represents the Japan national team and plays both the small forward and power forward positions.

Sections (3)

Full Timeline Career & Achievements Success & Recognition

1981: First Japanese NBA Draft

In 1981, Yasutaka Okayama became the first Japanese-born player to be drafted into the NBA as 171st overall pick.

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 in a 92–78 win over Fukuoka University Ohori.

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 in the Albert Schweitzer Tournament in Germany with Japan's under 18 national team, finishing in last place.

2014: FIBA U17 World Championship

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, recording one point and three rebounds in four minutes, becoming the fifth Japanese-born player to ever play NCAA Division I basketball.

2016: Joins Gonzaga

In 2016, Rui Hachimura joined Gonzaga University 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 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 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: Gonzaga Bulldogs Performance

In the 2017–18 campaign, Rui 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 Performance

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: Maui Invitational Finals

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, he was named most valuable player of the tournament.

April 15, 2019: NBA Draft Declaration

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 along with nine rebounds, three assists and a steal.

December 2019: First Pair of Japanese Players in NBA

In December 2019, Rui Hachimura and Yuta Watanabe of the Memphis Grizzlies became the first pair of Japanese players to face each other in the NBA. Hachimura also suffered a groin injury against the Detroit Pistons and had surgery, missing several games.

2019: Drafted into the NBA

In 2019, Rui Hachimura was drafted ninth overall by the Washington Wizards of the National Basketball Association (NBA).

2019: WCC Player of the Year

In 2019, Rui Hachimura was selected the WCC Player of the Year, leading Gonzaga in scoring (19.7 points per game) during the 2018–19 season and also averaging 6.5 rebounds a contest.

2019: FIBA World Cup Qualification Round

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: NBA All-Rookie Team Selection

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

2020: Tokyo Olympics Performance

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 Score

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.

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, alongside five rebounds and two blocks, in a 138–118 win over the Orlando Magic.

January 23, 2023: Trade to the 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 the Lakers

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

December 9, 2023: NBA In-Season Tournament Win

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: NBA Playoffs Performance

During the 2023 NBA Playoffs, Rui Hachimura played a vital role for the Lakers, scoring 29 points in his Lakers post-season debut. He guarded Nikola Jokic in the Western Conference Finals where Los Angeles lost to Denver in 4 games.

2023: Withdrawal from FIBA World Cup

Rui Hachimura withdrew from the 2023 FIBA World Cup on June 27, citing exhaustion from the NBA season and playoffs and the need to prepare for the following NBA season.