Wizards Rule Out Rui Hachimura Ahead of Raptors Game vs. Yuta Watanabe

The Washington Wizards have ruled out Rui Hachimura ahead of Monday night's game against the Toronto Raptors and fellow countryman Yuta Watanabe

Justin Ford-USA TODAY Sports

Japanese basketball fans will have to wait a little bit longer to see their two NBA players face off this season.

The Washington Wizards have ruled out Japanese forward Rui Hachimura for Monday night's game against the Toronto Raptors due to right shoulder tightness, the team announced. It makes it the second straight game in which the Raptors have played the Wizards this season and one of either Hachimura or Toronto's Yuta Watanabe has been unable to play due to injury.

The last time the teams played on February 10 there had been a lot of excitement from Japanese media about the possibility of seeing the country's only two NBA players face-off, but those hopes were dashed when Watanabe suddenly appeared on the injury report with an ankle strain.

Japanese fans will now have to wait until the teams play for the final time this season on May 6 to see if the two countrymen will share the court together for just the third time in NBA history.

Toronto has listed Jalen Harris (right hip), Rodney Hood (right hip), Kyle Lowry (right foot), Patrick McCaw (left knee), Paul Watson (health and safety protocols) as out, and Fred VanVleet (left hip) as questionable for Monday.

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