Rui Hachimura named to Team Japan’s roster for 2024 Paris Olympics
Rui Hachimura is one step closer to representing his home country on the world’s biggest stage this month, as the former Gonzaga men’s basketball standout was among the 16 players chosen to compete for a spot on Team Japan’s 12-man roster for the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.
Hachimura, coming off his fifth NBA season with the Los Angeles Lakers, rejoins the Japanese men’s senior national team after passing on last summer’s FIBA World Cup in Manila, where Team Japan still managed to qualify for the Paris Games after it finished as the top team from Asia despite missing arguably its best player.
Head coach Tom Horvath returns seven of the top eight scorers from the World Cup, including Memphis Grizzlies forward Yuta Watanabe and Nebraska men’s basketball standout Keisei Tominaga. Former Washington State men’s basketball forward Joshua Hawkinson is back with Team Japan as well as Yuki Kawamura, who was named MVP of the B.League (Japan) in 2023.
Ranked 26th in the FIBA World Rankings, the hosts of the 2020 Olympics are set to play in back-to-back Games for the first time since it competed in both 1972 and 1976. Team Japan was drawn into Group B with Germany, France and whichever team wins the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Latvia (Latvia, Brazil, Montenegro, Georgia, Philippines and Cameroon). The first opponent on the schedule is Team Germany, last summer’s World Cup champions, on July 27 followed by France (July 30) and the winner of the Olympic Qualifying Tournament (Aug. 2).
Hachimura is likely to play in his second Olympic Games just months removed from the best statistical season of his NBA career. The 6-foot-8 forward averaged 13.6 points (most since 2020-21) while shooting 53.7% from the field (career-best) and 42.2% from 3-point range (on 3.4 attempts per game, both career-highs) in 68 games played, including 39 starts. The Lakers went 22-10 to end the regular season with Hachimura in the starting lineup, as he averaged 15.9 points and 5.1 rebounds while shooting 57.6% from the floor and 44.4% from downtown in that span.
In the 2020 Olympics, Hachimura put up 22.3 points and 6.7 rebounds per game, though Team Japan failed to win a game and finished 11th out of 12 places in the final standings.
Hachimura is expected to be one of many former Zags who’ll compete for the gold medal this summer. Andrew Nembhard and Kelly Olynyk are part of a loaded Team Canada squad, while Filip Petrusev is set to compete for one of Team Serbia’s 12 roster spots. Meanwhile, Domantas Sabonis looks to take Lithuania to Paris with a win and automatic qualifier in the Olympic Qualifying Tournament.
Hachimura’s former college coach Mark Few will also be in Paris with Team USA as an assistant coach.
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COLE FORSMAN
Cole Forsman is a reporter for Gonzaga Nation, a member of Sports Illustrated’s FanNation network. Cole holds a degree in Journalism and Sports Management from Gonzaga University.