Rui Hachimura has developed into one of the Los Angeles Lakers’ most important role players over the past couple of years since being acquired in a midseason trade with the Washington Wizards back in 2023. He was a lottery pick of the Wizards in 2019 when they were coached by Scott Brooks.
Brooks was let go by the Wizards in 2021 and now is on head coach JJ Redick’s staff with the Lakers, reuniting him with Hachimura, and the two have grown an excellent relationship. Thursday night’s game against the Wizards was a return for both and Hachimura turned in a strong performance with 22 points on 9-of-12 shooting from the field in a blowout victory for the Lakers.
Afterwards, Hachimura spoke on his performance, saying he felt good while also adding that he and Brooks had a bit of a deal going into the game that thankfully the Lakers succeeded in, as seen on Spectrum SportsNet:
“I felt good. I felt good out there. It still feels like home, everybody talk about how it’s your home or whatever. Of course I talked to Coach Brooks before the game and he told if we won by less than 30, I had to walk to New York. We had a deal together. He told me after the game that I could get on the plane. Me and him had a lot of memories here for three years. It’s a good place. But somehow we ended up with a different team, Lakers, together again and I’m so grateful for that. But yeah, it was a great game and I’m happy about it.”
Brooks poked his head in during Hachimura’s media availability and shared a hilarious message, Dan Woike of the L.A. Times:
Lakers assistant Scott Brooks just popped his head in during Rui Hachimura's postgame presser and said "Should've played like that when I had him here!"
— Dan Woike (@DanWoikeSports) January 31, 2025
Certain players just have great connections with certain coaches and it looks as if that is the case between Brooks and Hachimura. This is the coach in which Hachimura’s career began under and now years later they have been brought back together and continue to help each other.
Hachimura was one of many Lakers who had a great night against the lowly Wizards who have the NBA’s worst record and have now lost 16 straight games. And with the bet that he and Brooks had, putting a beatdown on their former team was of the utmost importance.
JJ Redick says Lakers played angry vs. Wizards
One big reason for the Lakers’ dominant victory over the Wizards was the fire with which the team played and that was something head coach JJ Redick asked for.
Redick said he asked for the Lakers to play with an edge and was happy with what he got in terms of energy and execution from his team. The Lakers coach felt his team played ‘angry’ and should be happy with their effort and execution in the win.
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