First Japanese in NBA

On June 20, Rui Hachimura became the first Japanese player selected in the opening round of the National Basketball Association (NBA) draft when the Washington Wizards chose him as the ninth pick.

The 21-year-old played three seasons at Gonzaga University in Spokane, Washington State, USA, before declaring for the draft. “It is crazy. It is unreal. It means a lot to me, my family, and my whole country. I am so thankful,” said Hachimura. He commented on the pin badge he was wearing showing the Japanese flag: “For Japan, this gives it a chance for exposure, to be seen from the outside world. I thought that I had a duty to showcase my country.”

He is theoretically the second Japanese to be drafted in the NBA, after Yasutaka Okayama, who was selected as the 171st pick in 1981 by the Golden State Warriors. However, Okayama never played in the league, making this a historic moment for Hachimura.