On June 20, Rui Hachimura will make history.
When his name is called, the junior forward from Gonzaga University will be the first Japanese-born player drafted in the NBA. And as various recent mock drafts making their way around the web have been suggesting, it may very well be the Indiana Pacers making that pick.
Hachimura has had one of the most unique paths to the NBA of any draft prospect. Born to a Japanese mother and Beninese father, he almost wasn’t able to attend Gonzaga in 2016 because he was struggling to pass the English language requirements for entry.