This is even more true when you consider the opponents Japan will face in their group: World Cup champions Germany, Tokyo 2020 silver medallists France, and the winner of the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament (OQT) in Latvia. If they want to have any hope of advancing, they’ll have to take down one of either Germany or France—an extremely dauting task, on paper.
But in Hachimura and Yuta Watanabe, Japan do have star-calibre players who can change a game.
Hachimura is coming off one of his strongest seasons in the NBA in years, posting a career-high in games played (68) while recording 13.6 points and 4.3 assists per game as part of an Lakers team that won the 2023 NBA In-Season Tournament.
The 26-year-old was a force for Japan at his debut Olympics in 2020, leading the team in points per game (22.3) and grabbing 6.7 rebounds per contest.