His mentor tells him about the legend of “the strongest mentality and hard luck”.

He said, “It’s great, it’s great. （I was worried that the Wizards might not sign me, but you are doing a great job. It’s hard to find a guy who can show me this kind of drama. The Lakers are a team that even I know (laughs).”

Joji Sakamoto, a former teacher of his in junior high school, expressed his feelings about the sudden transfer of Rui Yamura (24).

On January 23, it was officially announced that Rui Hachimura, a member of the NBA’s Washington Wizards, would be joining the Los Angeles Lakers. The Lakers are one of the NBA’s most powerful teams, boasting a league-leading 17 championships. This season, however, Hachimura has had a difficult season, scoring 30 points twice, the most in his career, but he did not start and was forced to leave the game temporarily due to a right ankle injury. He was also in the final year of his contract with the Wizards, so his move to the Lakers was truly a surprise. (All statements in parentheses below are from Sakamoto.)

He really has it,” Sakamoto said. It was the same when he was at Gonzaga University. I asked him about it and found out that he was John Stockton, a former NBA player who played for the Utah Jazz and is the all-time leader in assists, assists, and assists. He is a legendary player who holds the record for most assists and steals in history. Mr. Stockton’s daughter often came to visit him at the Gonzaga University gymnasium, and through that connection, he himself would also show up. Bases and Mr. Stockton used to play two-on-two, but Mr. Stockton’s first pass always went out to an unbelievable place, and Bases seemed to be in trouble. But that was Mr. Stockton’s message, “Run here,” and as he played, the kid came to understand what that meant. And now he’s on a team with LeBron James. All I can say is, he’s got it.

Sakamoto also spoke of Hachimura’s strengths.

When he was in his third year of junior high school, the team was completely under his control, and everyone around him started to shrink away from him. I felt a sense of crisis and suggested that we make a team with other players, saying, ‘We can win the prefectural tournament even without baserunners. Then one of the other players said in a whisper, “We can’t win the national championship without baserunners. Then the other kids started saying one after another, “It’s no good without baserunners. So I told him, ‘I don’t know how you feel, but there are so many teammates who need you.

I think that’s when he changed. Because he knows the importance of his teammates, he is more determined than ever to win for the team. No one values their coaches, managers, and friends that much. I feel like that lives on in the NBA. I think that’s why he’s able to get on base with so many great players.

Strongest mentality” that does not fear even the “King

The prestigious Lakers have a lineup of prominent players including LeBron James (38), nicknamed “King James,” Anthony Davis (29), and Russell Westbrook (34). From now on, Yamura will face even fiercer competition for the starting position than the Wizards.

He is not in a hurry. He has always taken things at his own pace. Before I entered high school, I was taken to a practice game to see how good I was. Then I said, ‘I don’t want to play because my back hurts. The school immediately contacted me and asked, ‘What kind of kid are you? (laughs). (Laughs.) Of course, I never injured him in junior high school. Rui is a boy who takes care of himself. He doesn’t push himself too hard. Conversely, he is very good at mental control. That’s why I don’t think he gets too worked up when competing for a position.

Sakamoto says that he met with Yamura for the first time in a long time after he returned to Japan for the “NBA Japan Games 2022” last October. He again sent encouragement to his student, who continues to climb the ladder to global stardom.

I went to see him play on the last day of the games,” he said. He seemed to be in good health. I joked with him, saying, ‘I can’t talk to you because you’re above the clouds,’ and he laughed and said, ‘Coach, don’t say that.

I really want him to play in the NBA for as long as possible, because it’s amazing that he survived in that world for four years, and now he’s with the Lakers. With the Wizards, base was number 8, but with the Lakers, number 8 is Kobe Bryant’s permanent number, so his number will change as well. In that sense, I think he will get a new start. I, too, am looking forward to his new base.”

With memories of his mentor in his heart, Yamura heads for a new summit.