'Proud' Rui Hachimura set for homecoming this weekend with Washington Wizards

Rui Hachimura is back in Japan. Not only in body but in mind, too.

The basketball star on Friday (29 September) will play his first game for the Washington Wizards in his native country, three years after being the first player from Japan to be picked in the first round of the NBA draft.

The 24-year-old will play on home soil for the first time since the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, where Hachimura and Japan lost all three games in a tough group against Slovenia, Spain and Argentina.

The weight of expectations from an entire nation took a toll on Hachimura, however, as he did not make his debut for the 2021-22 season until January, coupled by the team being hit hard by the COVID-19 Omicron wave.

He only started 13 of 42 games and his numbers dipped, averaging only 22 minutes per contest as the Wizards missed out on the playoffs.

But on Thursday in Tokyo as Hachimura met the ever-numerous Japanese press corps, the smile was back and looked sharp ahead of Washington's first pres-eason game against none other than the Golden State Warriors, the reigning NBA champions.

"Hachi" was "Hachi" again - and darn proud of it.

"I’m really proud", he said. "I’m from here and I can show my country without being ashamed. I can tell people I’m from Japan.

"It’s been amazing. I get to show my country to my team-mates, the different culture, people, food. I can show my team-mates where I grew up. It’s a great thing.

"We are a very international team so a lot of people are going to watch us around the world".

Hachimura heads into a crucial fourth season in the NBA at the end of which his rookie contract expires. Neither he nor the team have indicated what the future holds.

But regardless, getting a strong start to the campaign will be important to Hachimura. While his team-mates expect him to be their personal tour guide this week, they are also expecting the best version yet of the 2.03-metre forward.

As are the Japanese fans, who unlike last summer at the Games, will be able to watch him in person at the Saitama Super Arena.

"I’m in my fourth year with the team and they have certain expectations of me", said Hachimura, who is eyeing sukiyaki and some quality Italian while he is home. "Be it grabbing rebounds or playing defence, I’ll do whatever needs to be done.

"I was thinking about it, a year ago I was here for the Olympics. Back then it was restricted and we didn’t have media like this. It’s a lot different.

"I haven’t played in front of the fans here in years so I’m really looking forward to it".

Chef Curry in the house

Hachimura and the Wizards will find out right away where they stand in the pecking order as they face the Warriors, who are coming off their fourth league championship in eight seasons.

Hachimura should draw the biggest cheers from the crowd this weekend but if there's one player who might receive bigger applause, it is the reigning NBA Finals MVP Steph Curry.

Curry said while it is different starting the pre-season away from home, he acknowledged it is equally a privilege. And once practice begins, the Warriors will be all in - whether they are in San Francisco or Tokyo.

"It’s why we’re here. It’s a special opportunity to embrace the culture of Japan and show how the NBA game is growing around the world", said Curry, who was given a list of Japanese words to try out from his 10-year-old daughter currently learning the language.

"It’s our first pre-season games so we’ll try our best to have fun with it and put on a great show.

"This is my third time here, before the pandemic I came twice. It’s a different experience coming here for training camp, getting better and getting ready for the season but also enjoying the fact that we’re here.

"When practice starts we’ll be locked in on what we need to do there but then everything else is about having fun".