Hachimura learning nightly
Rookie experiencing ups and downs of first season
WASHINGTON — Whenever Rui Hachimura walks onto the court for pregame warm-ups, the Washington Wizards rookie typically takes a seat next to player development coach David Adkins. Rookie Season 101 begins another session, just one class in an 82-game stretch.
“I’m a rookie, so I don’t know anybody [on opposing teams],” said Hachimura, the ninth overall pick in June’s draft, before making his 14th consecutive start Sunday night against the Sacramento Kings.
Hachimura’s first weeks in the NBA have been peppered with lessons, from studying opponents’ tendencies via scouting report videos on Adkins’s laptop to remaining on the sideline in the fourth quarter of close games.
While Hachimura ranks in the top 10 in scoring and minutes played among his rookie peers, he’s experiencing his share of up-and-down moments.
In Sunday’s 113-106 loss to the Kings, Hachimura got off to a strong start by drawing contact, shooting confidently and recognizing a mismatch, scoring seven points in the opening quarter. But the 21-year-old played only 12 more minutes the rest of the game and sat the entire fourth quarter. He didn’t score again and finished with eight rebounds.
“He has to get better every night. Some nights you get better on the floor and some nights, as a younger player, you get better watching. You get better watching film after the game and then the next day,” Coach Scott Brooks said, explaining why Hachimura was sidelined in the final quarter for the second straight game.
“It’s also matchups. We have to get him to lock in on [players] who pump fake,” Brooks said.
On Sunday, however, Hachimura did not commit a foul while falling for this move. But he still needs to learn opponents’ games. In the11 minutes he logged in first quarter, the only thing that might have qualified as a defensive miscue against his matchup, Kings forward Harrison Barnes, happened when Hachimura got momentarily held up by a high screen which allowed Barnes to get a step on him. As Hachimura stayed attached to the screener, teammate Moritz Wagner had to take Barnes, who pump-faked Wagner into drawing a foul while making the jumper.
“I need to learn like those players [who] like to shoot threes,” Hachimura said. “Some players like to drive, some players like to do whatever. I need to watch those kind of film and defend well.”
On the offensive end, Hachimura looks far more advanced in shooting 55.6 percent on pullup jumpers. Hachimura ranks as one of three rookies to shoot over 50 percent from the field. While he has excelled in the midrange, Hachimura has only expanded his jump shot so much. On Sunday, Hachimura made his first threepoint attempt since Nov. 4.
“I don’t feel like I need to shoot right now. So I don’t shoot. If I have to shoot, then I’ll shoot,” Hachimura said about three-pointers. “I’ve been working on my threes. I’m pretty confident about. It. And I’ll just keep shooting. … I’m just working on my pullup shot.”
The Wizards have told Hachimura to take threes if his feet are set, he’s wide open and, preferably, near the sidelines for corner shots. If Hachimura can’t tick all three boxes, then the Wizards are happy with him sticking to what’s most comfortable.
“I like his midrange. I like good shots,” Brooks said. “[If ] Rui gets a kickback or a throwback and it’s 17, 18 feet, if it’s a good shot, it’s a good shot.”
Hachimura echoed his coach on the merits of his pullup jumper.
“I feel like it’s just what I’ve been working on, that’s my kind of strength. That’s how I’ve been playing since I was in high school. That’s my shot,” he said, “and I’m still working on those areas.”
The work will continue through Hachimura’s rookie season and so will the lessons.
“Other players have been here for like 10 years, five years or whatever and they know all the [ opposing] players,” Hachimura said, “but for me, I don’t know so that’s why I have to watch those films and learn those players.”