TOKYO (AP) — Japanese basketball officials, fans and media hailed the selection of Rui Hachimura in the 2019 NBA Draft, saying the move will usher in a new era for the sport in Japan.
On Thursday, Hachimura made history as the first Japanese player to be selected in the first round of the NBA draft, when he was chosen as the No. 9 overall pick by the Washington Wizards, a team in the midst of rebuilding.
“The headline in the online edition of the Nikkansports newspaper read, “The Birth of the NBA’s Hachimura, a huge step for Japan.””
The forward, who stands at 6-foot-8 and weighs 235 pounds (2.03 meters, 106 kilograms), led his team last season with an average of 19.7 points and 6.5 rebounds. This achievement occurred during his junior year at U.S. college Gonzaga, where he was recognized as the West Coast Conference player of the year.
Yasutaka Okayama was the only other Japanese player to be drafted in NBA history, having been chosen 171st overall in 1981, but he never participated in a regular-season game. Only two Japanese players have ever achieved this feat – Yuta Tabuse for the Phoenix Suns in the 2004-05 season, and Yuta Watanabe for the Memphis Grizzlies in the 2018-19 season.
Yuko Mitsuya from the Japan Basketball Federation expressed great pride in saying, “Hachimura, a product of the Japanese basketball system, being selected in the NBA draft is a fact that makes us very proud.”
Basketball has grown in popularity since the introduction of a pro league in 2005 in Japan, however, it still significantly trails behind baseball and soccer.
The sport is certain to grow exponentially due to Hachimura’s NBA career.
Hachimura, the son of a Japanese mother and a father from the Republic of Benin, is the most recent mixed-race Japanese to gain prominence in sports, following in the footsteps of Naomi Osaka and Yu Darvish.
“Japan is making a significant progress with this,” Keisuke Tsutsumi, an office worker and NBA follower stated. “It will elevate the sport to a higher level in this country.”
Joji Sakamoto, Hachimura’s junior high school coach, welcomed the news of his draft selection.
Sakamoto, who coached Hachimura in his hometown of Toyama Prefecture, stated that he noticed his student’s potential from a young age.
“Sakamoto, who is 59 years old, said, “I advised him to picture his dream and now it will become a reality.”
Masahiko Shibayama, Japan’s education minister, stated that Hachimura has inspired a generation of young players in his home country.
“Truly, it’s magnificent,” commented Shibayama. “His significant position in a league that is challenging for Japanese players to join, will inspire numerous Japanese individuals,” he added.
Hachimura’s ascent is perfectly timed as Tokyo is preparing to host the 2020 Olympics. As the host country, Japan’s national men’s team has qualified and Hachimura has the potential to play a significant role in both the Olympics and the World Cup in China later in the year.
Tommy Sheppard, the interim general manager for the Wizards, commented on the 21-year-old’s performance for the national team of Japan.
“He is the key player for Japan’s qualification for the world championships. And when the Tokyo Olympics take place in 2020, he will be the central figure for the country’s basketball team,” said Sheppard. “The fact that he can handle such pressure at his age, given his maturity, I believe it will serve him well in the NBA.”
