Rui Hachimura scored 29 points to lead Japan past Saudi Arabia 106-78, while Yuki Kawamura added eight assists in the World Cup qualifier.
Rui Hachimura delivered a near-perfect offensive performance for Japan against Saudi Arabia in the 2027 FIBA World Cup Asian Qualifiers.
Position
PF
Age
28
Height
203 cm
Weight
104 kg
Birth place
Toyama, Japan
Hachimura scored 29 points as Japan defeated Saudi Arabia 106-78. The LA Clippers forward needed only 27 minutes to lead his team to the road win.
Hachimura shot 11-of-13 from the field. He made 8-of-9 two-pointers, 3-of-4 threes and all four of his free throws.
He also added four rebounds, two assists, two steals, one block and finished with a game-high 36 efficiency rating.
Yuki Kawamura had only four points but made his impact as a playmaker. The 25-year-old finished with eight assists and three rebounds in 16.5 minutes. He shot 2-of-9 from the field and missed all five of his three-point attempts.
Kawamura recently signed an Exhibit 10 contract with the LA Clippers. He will compete for a roster spot during training camp.
That puts him in the same organization as Hachimura.
Joshua Hawkinson was Japan’s second-leading scorer with 21 points. Keisei Tominaga added 14 points off the bench, while Yudai Nishida scored 13.
Japan shot 53.2% from the field and made 15 three-pointers in the win. The victory improved Japan to 5-2 in Group F of the second qualifying round.
Hachimura back with Japan after Paris Olympics
The current window marks Hachimura’s return to the Japanese national team program after the 2024 Paris Olympics.
The 28-year-old also changed NBA teams this offseason.
Hachimura signed a two-year, $28 million contract with the LA Clippers in July after spending the previous three-and-a-half seasons with the Los Angeles Lakers.
He averaged 11.5 points and 3.3 rebounds for the Lakers during the 2025-26 regular season while shooting 44.3% from three.
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