Wizards rookie forward Rui Hachimura hasn’t played an NBA regular season yet. But the Japanese national is quickly establishing his place as the face of the men’s national team and the sport in his country.
Last Saturday, Japan played Germany in Saitama. Hachimura scored 31 points in an 86-83 comeback win. You can watch the highlights below.
Neither the Japanese or Germans are medal favorites in the FIBA World Cup, which starts on Saturday, Aug. 31. However, Hachimura is already showing great poise and leading his team over a consistent EuroBasket caliber team like Germany.