Rui Hachimura and the Los Angeles Lakers are focused on preparing for the 2024-25 NBA season. With the MLB postseason underway, though, Hachimura discussed some baseball topics as well during his media availability on Thursday. Hachimura is from Japan and knows both Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres stars Shohei Ohtani and Yu Darvish. So which team is Hachimura cheering for in the Padres-Dodgers upcoming playoff series?
“Dodgers… You know what, actually, Yu Darvish (is on the Padres). That's tough,” Hachimura said, via Daniel Starkand of Lakers Nation. “He's (Darvish) like my mentor, you know. When I got to the league… he was always, like, supporting me. He was always there. He came to the game one time, too, one time I remember when I was in D.C. He had… my jersey on… I'm just happy to see those Japanese athletes, they are playing against in one of the biggest stages in the world.”
Hachimura initially said the Dodgers before he remembered that Darvish is on the Padres. He then stated that he is happy to see both Japanese stars leading their teams in the playoffs.
Rui Hachimura gets real on his relationship with Shohei Ohtani
Ohtani is one of the most popular players in all of sports. Shohei is on track to win the National League MVP Award in his first year with the Dodgers. Hachimura was asked if he has spent much time with the Dodgers superstar.
“I met him a couple times,” Hachimura said, via Starkand. “We didn't really have a conversation… I know he came to a game one time, too… When I was in D.C, when we played against the Lakers actually. He came to watch the game, we talked a little bit.”
Hachimura and Ohtani are two of the most popular Japanese stars in their respective sports. They also both play in Los Angeles, so perhaps Ohtani will come watch Hachimura play once again at the Crypto.com Arena.
Hachimura the baseball star?
Hachimura was also asked if he played baseball growing up. The Lakers forward responded by joking that he was “meant to be a baseball player.”
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“Rui actually means the base in baseball in Japanese,” Hachimura said. “So, actually I was meant to be a baseball player (he said with a laugh). I really was, yeah. My Grandpa is probably so disappointed. We did a lot of practice together.”
The Lakers have high expectations for the upcoming NBA season. Meanwhile, the Dodgers are looking to reach the World Series for the first time since 2020 as they begin their 2024 postseason journey on Saturday against the Padres.
Hachimura and the Lakers may attend a few Dodgers playoff games at some point. Los Angeles is certainly a good place to be from a sports standpoint at the moment (you can look past the Los Angeles Rams' 1-3 record).
Perhaps the Dodgers will invite Rui Hachimura to take batting practice with the team after his baseball admission. That would be a great gesture that would excite both Dodgers and Lakers fans.
