Rui Hachimura is just as speechless about Shohei Ohtani as everyone else
Shohei Ohtani is thriving in Los Angeles and Lakers forward Rui Hachimura is marveling at his greatness like the rest of us.
Rui Hachimura brought his joyous smile to Lakers Media Day on Monday and was as cheery as ever. Although his Olympic stint with Japan was cut short due to a hamstring injury, the forward has recovered and is ready to play.
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The mood was as delightful as a summer breeze during his time speaking with Spectrum. They transitioned from his expectations heading into the 2024-25 NBA season to how well Dodgers player Shohei Ohtani has been this year.
We witnessed their friendship firsthand when the then-Los Angeles Angels player attended a Lakers game when Hachimura was a Washington Wizard. Upon Ohtani’s signing, Hachimura called it “really big” for Los Angeles.
Like the rest of us, Hachimura struggled to describe just how incredible Ohtani has been in Los Angeles.
“I have no words for him,” Hachimura said. “He’s the best guy. It’s all about him right now in Japan. Even here, it’s all about him. He’s just killing it. As a Japanese athlete playing here with the Lakers in LA and then he’s playing with the Dodgers, it’s a really big thing for us. I’m so proud of him.”
You have to live in Los Angeles or, at the very least, attend a home Dodgers game to see how grand Ohtani’s impact is. The Asian community rallied around him and the rest of the city followed.
He’s a fan favorite and, despite the ridiculous expectations everyone had of him, he’s somehow surpassed them. Ohtani achieved the first 50-50 season in MLB history this year by hitting 50 home runs and stealing 50 bases.
This is while he is recovering from his UCL tear. What’s scary for the rest of Major Legaue Baseball is that next year, Ohtani is expected to be fully healthy and pitching again. That means he’ll be even better for the Dodgers.
Hachimura is sparse with his words, but he clearly loves living in Los Angeles and being a Laker. At every chance, he shoots cameras with a grin and throws up L.A. with his hands.
Having two Japanese legends playing here at the same time is remarkable.
Yes, Ohtani is the bigger star, but let’s see how the story plays out. If Hachimura can be part of a Lakers title team, he can be a legend in this city, just like role players such as Robert Horry and Sasha Vujacic before him.
For now, it’s all about improving during training camp and getting ready for the upcoming season.
