Quick Bytes
- Rui Hachimura excels for Japan in the Olympics before a calf injury.
- Hachimura ejected against France, still leads team scoring.
- Lakers’ new coach JJ Redick encourages Hachimura to enhance his game.
Rui Hachimura’s Olympic Stint and Lakers’ Future Plans
Rui Hachimura, a player for the Los Angeles Lakers, has made a significant impact at the 2024 Olympics in Paris, leading Team Japan in scoring despite an early exit due to a calf injury.
Hachimura’s performance was particularly notable in the game against France, where he scored 24 points before being ejected in the third quarter. Unfortunately, his Olympic journey was cut short when he experienced calf discomfort following the game, which ended in a 94-90 overtime loss for Japan. An MRI confirmed a gastrocnemius muscle injury, leading to his withdrawal from the team.
With the Lakers’ training camp starting at the end of September and the season’s opening night three months away, Hachimura has time to recover. Meanwhile, Lakers’ new head coach JJ Redick has expressed his excitement about Hachimura’s potential and has outlined specific areas for improvement, including shooting more 3-pointers and enhancing his offensive rebounding. Redick’s vision for Hachimura also includes utilizing his cutting abilities and scoring against mismatches.
The Lakers community and fans are hopeful that Hachimura’s strong Olympic showing will translate into an even more impressive performance in the upcoming NBA season.
