Not just in Japan. Rui Hachimura wants to increase basketball aspirations in Asia in NBA News
TimesofIndia.com in Singapore. By noon, the courts inside the OCBC Arena had settled into their rhythm.On the one hand, South Korea’s Kyungbock High School looked all favorites in the first place, their players physically bigger and noticeably more impressive than most of their opponents. Singapore, with four teams spread across the men’s and women’s categories, found it tougher against more established basketball programs.Around the arena, coaches are shouting instructions, and teenagers from all over Asia are sharing the courts that, for the next week, will be the center of the NBA:the ambitions of the region.The facilities are first class, the organization is impeccable in the NBA. But what dominated the opening day of the Rising Stars Invitational was not the basketball itself.This is diversity. Players from Japan, China, South Korea, India, the Philippines and Australia, who each bring different traditions and ambitions to basketball, all come to Singapore with the same dream.For some, it’s about winning. For others, coming here is part of something bigger. Opportunity.For Rui Hachimura, perhaps more than anyone else, that word has a special meaning.The chance he wished he had.The Los Angeles Lakers forward isn’t just Japan’s biggest basketball export. In 2019, Hachimura became the first Japanese player to be selected in the first round of the NBA Draft when the Washington Wizards selected him ninth overall.The 27-year-old, who won three straight national high school championships before transferring to Gonzaga University, remains the only active NBA player from Asia and is increasingly embracing the responsibility that comes with it.“You know, I think when I was a kid, I always wanted to play overseas,” said Hachimura on the sidelines of the event.“I think this type of opportunity is very important. I don’t know how long it’s existed, but when I was in high school, I didn’t think it existed. So it makes sense.”Looking around the arena and watching teenagers from all over Asia compete under the NBA banner, Hachimura admitted he recognized a younger version of himself.“Yes, of course,” he said when asked if he saw himself among these players.“When I was in high school, I was invited [to the] such as: [of] Jordan Brand Classic, NBA Academy and more. But those are the times when I really go and study on my own. I saw my level and my purpose.”“So these things help them. Especially in Asia, there are a lot of kids, a lot of players who want to be in the NBA. So it’s a very good thing.”And perhaps that’s the sentiment that’s been echoed throughout the day. Pathways.
Thinking beyond Japan:
Over the years, Asian basketball has been looking for figures capable of changing perceptions.China has Yao Ming, an eight-time NBA All-Star and the first overall pick in the 2002 Draft. Japan found their breakthrough star in Hachimura, who joined Yuta Watanabe and Yuki Kawamura in bringing the country’s basketball aspirations.
NBA stars under one roof (Photo by NBA Rising Stars Invitational)
But for Hachimura himself, the conversation moved beyond national borders.“Especially for me, I think I have a responsibility. My country is Japan, but also the whole of Asia,” he said.“Right now, I’m literally the only NBA player in Asia. That’s what says we need to develop basketball culture and bring more Asian players to the NBA.”“I think we have a lot of potential, but I think the opportunities are few. That’s why I decided to come here and try to help the whole Asian continent bring more players to the NBA.”Later, when asked what Asian basketball success would look like a decade from now, Hachimura returned to the same theme.“I don’t want to talk about Japan,” he said, adding. “I’m thinking about all of Asia. That’s my vision.”“I want to inspire kids and I want more kids from Asia to become NBA players and do their thing. I wonder how I can help with that.”
The challenge remains greater than the talent
For Hachimura, physical disabilities are no longer excuses. “There will always be this disadvantage for us,” he said.“But I think there are many ways to prove that. You see Yuki Kawamura. He’s literally this tall and he competes every day, every game.”“You just have to believe in yourself and find a way.”
Asia’s best talents in action (NBA Rising Stars Invitational photo)
More interestingly, Hachimura believes that the challenge is not purely physical.“It’s the personality too,” he said. “Basketball is an interesting game. It’s a team game but a lot of times it’s individual too. Showing what you can do is very important.”“Those are the things I had to learn when I got to Gonzaga [University]. They always tell me I’m acting shy or something.”“But you can’t be like that. You always have to be aggressive. You have to be the guy who tries to change the whole game. I think Asians don’t have that, so I think I have to teach that.”
Construction paths:
Three-time WNBA MVP Lauren Jackson, widely regarded as one of the greatest players in women’s basketball history and a centerpiece of Australia’s development as a global force, believes opportunity has been the overarching theme of this generation.A Basketball Hall of Famer and one of the faces of the NBA’s Her Time To Play initiative, Jackson has seen the women’s game evolve for more than two decades.“I think women’s basketball is driving it around the world,” Jackson said. “I think there’s no doubt that the WNBA has definitely raised the stakes.”“We’re seeing recognition for women’s basketball and it’s a great time for the women’s game.”For Jackson, tournaments like the Rising Stars Invitational are important because they create visibility.“This tournament creates an opportunity for all other countries to have a path to the elite,” he said.“They can find their way into the NBA and that’s something that hasn’t been done before, especially in the Asia-Pacific.”
Lauren Jackson (Photo at NBA Rising Stars Invitational)
Mitch Richmond, a six-time NBA All-Star, 2002 NBA champion with the Los Angeles Lakers and a member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, witnessed the league’s international expansion from close quarters.Part of the Golden State Warriors’ famous trio with Tim Hardaway and Chris Mullin, Richmond believes the NBA’s efforts to globalize the game have been decades in the making.“I saw it coming,” Richmond said of the global growth of basketball.“When I was playing, the NBA always sent me overseas and they were really trying to expand.”
Mitch Richmond (Photo of the NBA Rising Stars Invitational)
“To see all of this come to fruition today, where the NBA is growing in so many areas and continues to grow globally, it’s a sight to behold.”And when asked about countries like India, where cricket remains dominant, Richmond preferred patience over urgency.“You have to start somewhere. You have to take baby steps. It’s about teaching and learning. You have to encourage young people.”
A tournament and a question
India’s sole representatives, Velammal International School, will begin their campaign on Tuesday.Their task is difficult. The gap in basketball infrastructure and culture between India and some of the established Asian powers remains glaring.
India’s lone representatives (Image at NBA Rising Stars Invitational)
However, that may be the most important thing this week. Because for Hachimura, success can no longer be measured by what Japan has achieved.“I have a bigger purpose now,” he said. “Not only in Japan but all over Asia.”Inside the OCBC Arena, surrounded by teenagers from all over the region, that vision no longer feels completely far away.And for countries still waiting for their breakthrough moment, that may be reason enough to keep believing.
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