Not just Japan: Rui Hachimura wants the Asian basketball dream to grow

Rui Hachimura (photo from NBA Rising Stars Invitational) TimesofIndia.com in Singapore: By mid-morning, the courts inside the OCBC Arena had already settled into their rhythm.On the one hand, South Korea’s Kyungbock High School looked every bit the early favorite, their players physically bigger and noticeably more imposing than most of their opponents. Singapore, with four teams spread across the boys and girls categories, was tougher against more established basketball programs.Around the arena, coaches barked instructions and teenagers from across Asia shared the courts that will be the focus of the region’s NBA ambitions for the next week.The equipment is first class, the organization unmistakably NBA. But what stood out most about the opening day of the Rising Stars Invitational wasn’t necessarily the basketball itself.It was diversity. Players from Japan, China, South Korea, India, the Philippines and Australia, each with different basketball traditions and ambitions, come to Singapore with the same dream.For some, it’s about winning. For others, being here is simply a part of something bigger: an opportunity.For Rui Hachimura, perhaps more than anyone else, this word has a special meaning.The opportunity 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 he was selected ninth overall by the Washington Wizards.The 27-year-old, who won three consecutive high school national 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 little, I always wanted to play overseas,” Hachimura said on the sidelines of the event.“I think this kind of opportunity is very important. I don’t know how long it’s been around, but when I was in high school, I don’t think it was around. So that’s why it makes sense.”Looking around the arena and watching teenagers from across Asia compete under the NBA banner, Hachimura admitted he recognized a younger version of himself.“Yeah, of course,” he replied when asked if he saw himself in these players.“When I was in high school, I got invited (to) the Jordan Brand Classic, the NBA Academy and so on. But those are the times when I go to learn on my own. I see my level and my goal.”“So these things will help them. Especially in Asia, there are a lot of kids, a lot of players who want to be in the NBA. So this is a really good thing.”And perhaps it was the sentiment that echoed the most during the day: Roads.

Thinking outside of Japan

Asian basketball has been searching for figures capable of changing perceptions for years.China had Yao Ming, an eight-time NBA All-Star and the first overall pick in the 2002 draft. Japan found its breakout star in Hachimura, who has since been joined by Yuta Watanabe and Yuki Kawamura in realizing the country’s basketball aspirations.

NBA stars under one roof (Photo from NBA Rising Stars Invitational)

But for Hachimura himself, the conversation has moved beyond national borders.“First of all, for me, I think I have a responsibility. My country Japan, but also the whole of Asia,” he said.“Right now I’m literally the only NBA player in Asia. So that’s proof that we need to develop our basketball culture and bring more Asian players into 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 will look like ten years from now, Hachimura returned to the same theme again.“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 those kids and I want more Asian kids to be NBA players and do their thing. I’m thinking how can I help with that.”

Challenge remains greater than talent

For Hachimura, physical disadvantages are no longer an excuse. “There’s always that downside for us,” he said.“But I think there’s a lot of ways to prove it. You see Yuki Kawamura. He’s literally that tall and he competed every day, every game.”“You just have to believe in yourself and find a way.

Asia’s top talents in action (Photo from NBA Rising Stars Invitational)

More interestingly, Hachimura believes the challenge is not purely physical.“It’s also a personality,” he said. “Basketball is an interesting sport. It’s a team sport, but it’s also often individual. Showing what you can do is really important.”“Those are the things I had to learn when I got to Gonzaga (University). They always told me I was playing like I was shy or something.”“But you can’t be like that. You have to be aggressive all the time. You have to be the one trying to change the whole game. I don’t think Asians can do that, so I think I have to teach it.”

Building roads

Widely regarded as one of the greatest players in women’s basketball history and central to Australia’s rise as a global power, three-time WNBA MVP Lauren Jackson believes opportunity is becoming the defining 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 over more than two decades.“I think women’s basketball is driving it globally,” 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 women’s sports.”For Jackson, tournaments like the Rising Stars Invitational are important because they create exposure.“This tournament creates an opportunity for all the other countries to really get into the elite,” she said.“They can see their way into the NBA and that’s something that’s never happened before, especially in Asia Pacific.”

Lauren Jackson (photo from 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, has witnessed the league’s international expansion up close.Part of the Golden State Warriors’ famous trio along with Tim Hardaway and Chris Mullin, Richmond believes the NBA’s efforts to globalize the game have taken decades.“I saw it coming,” Richmond said of basketball’s global growth.“When I was playing, the NBA was always pushing me to go overseas and they were really trying to expand.

Mitch Richmond (photo from NBA Rising Stars Invitational)

“To see it all come to fruition right now, with the NBA growing in so many places and continuing to grow globally, it’s truly 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 those baby steps. It’s about learning and learning. You have to get the youth excited.”

The tournament and the question

The lone Indian representatives, Velammal International School, will begin their campaign on Tuesday.Their task is difficult. The gap in infrastructure and basketball culture between India and some of the established Asian powers remains evident.

Lone Indian representatives (Photo from NBA Rising Stars Invitational)

That, however, is perhaps the greater meaning of this week. Because for Hachimura, success is no longer measured by what Japan achieves.“I have a bigger goal now,” he said. “Not just Japan, but all of Asia.Inside the OCBC Arena, surrounded by teenagers from across the region, that vision doesn’t seem far-fetched anymore.And for countries still waiting for their breakthrough moment, that could be reason enough to keep believing.