Rui Hachimura Is The Same Player He Was In Washington

Wizards fans already know the Rui Hachimura everyone is now discovering

Who is Rui Hachimura? Did you know he could play like that? These are the type of questions flooding social media now that former Washington Wizards forward Rui Hachimura is on the national stage with the Los Angeles Lakers in the NBA playoffs.

In Game 1 of the first round of the playoffs against the Memphis Grizzlies, Hachimura sparked a third-quarter comeback and was a major factor in the Lakers’ 128-112 win. He finished with a team-high 29 points on 11-of-14 shooting and 5-of-6 from 3-point range. This performance is what started the national frenzy surrounding Hachimura.

Although his talent seems to be a surprise to others, Wizards fans are very familiar with the Rui that is showing up in the playoffs. As a matter of fact, he hasn’t even reached his highest potential. Before the Wizards traded Hachimura in January, he played his last game against the Orlando Magic, tying a career-high 30 points on 13-of-22 shooting. That game marked the fourth time in Hachimura’s career that he scored 30 points in a single game and it was his second 30-point showing of the season. 

Rui Hachimura didn’t do much to dispel the recent trade rumors. A few notable quotes:

Do you want a trade? “I don’t know”

“I want to be somewhere that likes my game.”

Is that here? “I don’t know. We’ll see.”#DCAboveAll pic.twitter.com/CvCq7n5IBQ

— Carita Parks (@CaritaCParks) January 22, 2023

With the trade pending, Hachimura told reporters:

“I just want to be somewhere that wants me as a basketball player. I want to be somewhere that values my game. I just want to be somewhere that trusts and believes in me, and I can be myself.”

It looks like the Lakers are living up to his desires. They have found a way to effectively utilize Hachimura off the bench which is contributing to his success. Most of his production comes when Lebron James is resting which makes him a reliable option for the Lakers when they need to save their star player for more pressing moments in games.

In this current series against the Golden State Warriors, Hachimura’s best game was on May 4th when he scored 21 points on 8-14 shooting.

In early December, I asked #LakeShow Coach Darvin Ham his view on the team’s turnaround which just started to take shape after a 2-10 start. He said they needed to keep stacking & sustain it as long as possible, now they’re in #NBAPlayoffs semifinals. #DubNation @dbltakesports pic.twitter.com/1nYs5JMam4

— Carita Parks (@CaritaCParks) May 6, 2023

When it comes down to it, Rui is not new to this, he is true to this and now more people are taking notice.

Related:

Is Rui Hachimura’s time winding down in Washington?

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Rui Hachimura Shines With Trade Rumors Circulating

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