The Los Angeles Clippers could hardly have asked for a better offseason outing from new forward Rui Hachimura.
Hachimura erupted for 29 points on 11-of-14 shooting as Japan defeated Saudi Arabia 106-78 in a FIBA Basketball World Cup 2027 Asian Qualifier on August 27. He played just under 28 minutes and, just as importantly for the Clippers, there was no injury issue reported coming out of the game.
That combination makes the performance especially encouraging for Los Angeles. Hachimura signed a two-year, $28 million deal with the Clippers in July after spending the previous three-plus seasons across town with the Lakers.
And while NBA teams routinely have players competing internationally, there is always some additional concern when an important rotation player is logging competitive minutes before training camp.
For Hachimura, that concern isn’t merely hypothetical.
Rui Hachimura’s Japan Performance Was Nearly Flawless
Hachimura did considerably more than pile up points against Saudi Arabia.
According to FIBA’s official box score, he made 8 of 10 two-point attempts, 3 of 4 three-pointers and all four of his free throws. He also collected four rebounds, two assists, three steals and one blocked shot while posting a game-best efficiency rating of 36. Japan outscored Saudi Arabia by 23 points during Hachimura’s minutes.
He committed zero turnovers and zero fouls.
For the Clippers, the shooting is particularly interesting.
Los Angeles president of basketball operations Lawrence Frank specifically highlighted Hachimura’s shooting when the team signed him.
“Rui is an elite 3-point shooter and an efficient mid-range scorer who uses his size to exploit mismatches,” Frank said at the time.
Hachimura’s latest Japan performance looked very much like that description.
He is coming off a 2025-26 season in which he averaged 11.5 points and 3.3 rebounds for the Lakers while shooting 51.4% from the field and 44.3% from three-point range.
Producing 29 points on only 14 shots in international competition won’t determine how his first Clippers season unfolds, but it is a strong indication that his shooting touch hasn’t disappeared during the offseason.
Healthy Finish Matters After Hachimura’s 2024 FIBA Scare
There is another reason Clippers fans can feel good about Hachimura getting through the game.
His previous appearance for Japan in a major international tournament ended because of injury.
During the 2024 Paris Olympics, Hachimura experienced discomfort in his left calf following Japan’s overtime game against France. An MRI subsequently revealed an injury to his left gastrocnemius muscle, and Hachimura left the Japanese national team before its final group game against Brazil.
That history naturally adds some anxiety whenever Hachimura plays meaningful basketball away from his NBA team.
There has been no comparable development reported after the Saudi Arabia game. Instead, Hachimura completed his workload and delivered one of the most efficient scoring performances of the current FIBA qualifying window.
For Los Angeles, that’s about as positive as an August update can get: its newly signed forward is playing meaningful basketball, shooting at an absurd rate and, as of the immediate aftermath of the game, doing so without a reported physical setback.
The Clippers will care considerably more about what Hachimura does once the NBA season begins. But for now, his first major performance since joining the franchise offered them exactly the kind of news they wanted.
Los Angeles Clippers Get Great News on $28-Million Player