While NBA opinionati buzzed about Zion Williamson’s nine whole minutes in the Summer League, Washington Wizards fans were getting a good look at the promise of first-round pick Rui Hachimura.
The power forward from Gonzaga University averaged 31.7 minutes over three games; put up some nice numbers (averaging 19.3 points, 7 rebounds and 1.7 blocks); and made it onto the Summer League’s Second Team.
Any Wall Street suit will tell you that past performance is no indication of future results. Hachimura will need to do that consistently in the NBA regular season before he’s a household name in the U.S.
In his native Japan, however? It’s already a much different story, as this video illustrates. And this week, the new Washington Wizard unveiled his first celebrity endorsement. See for yourself.
As indicated at the end, Hachimura is going to be a key piece on the Japanese national team during next year’s Olympics in Tokyo. The NBA is catching on over there, and if the sport eventually becomes bigger than baseball, it’ll probably be because of this guy.
… Hey, wait a minute!
What’s wrong with the ramen places here in D.C., big man? Are they so bad that you have to bring your own food with you? Another thing: Why can’t you just use one fork and wash it, for crying out loud?
Let’s just scratch it up to a rookie mistake.
WTOP reached out to the Wizards for comment about Hachimura’s ramen-heavy diet (seriously) — they declined to comment.
