Nearly a year ago, Germany blasted Serbia in the FIBA World Cup 2023 final. Since then, the basketball giants’ intentions haven’t changed, and nor has their anchor. Dennis Schroder pumped a dominant win for the Germans in their opening Olympic encounter against Japan. His double-double and generous ball-sharing resulted in Germany crushing Japan in the paint.

But while Schroder answered the call, Japan’s Rui Hachimura could not match his former teammate’s exquisite display. The most renowned member of the Japanese roster failed to impose himself on the game, struggling to find his shots. His shortfalls put Japan in an irrecoverable position.

And NBA fans were quick to react to the Lakers forwards’ upsetting display.

Rui Hachimura gets grilled by the NBA community

It might be the Olympics and the NBA is still months away. But that has never prevented fans from mingling the two. Likewise, some Lakers fans watched Hachimura’s uncharacteristic struggles in the Paris Olympics opener and were displeased. “I know the lakers watching Rui Hachimura in disgust rn lol” a X user wrote.

Hachimura is by far the prime pick for Japan during their Olympic campaign. And tonight, their head fell apart. While the 26-year-old did add 20 points, his subpar efficiency could not be excused. He only shot 21% from the field in the 20-point loss to Germany while hardly using his reliable athleticism.

Staying along the lines of the Lakers, some of the NBA community compared Hachimura’s lowlight to that of the Lakers’ newest draft acquisition and one of the most talked about prospects, Bronny James. “Rui Hachimura is having himself A Bronny today,” one such comment read.

The eldest son of LeBron James too had an abysmal start to his NBA career. In his first two Las Vegas Summer League games, Bronny James failed to record a single triple, considered the strongest facet of his game. Hachimura too drowned to his inconsistent jumper, which during the NBA season was hitting 42.2%. Against Germany, he only made two of his ten attempts from range.

Shockingly, even the Laker Nation took shots at their own ‘Samurai’. Some fans suggested making Rui Hachimura part of a trade in hopes of strengthening the roster. They suggested dealing him with another standout performer from the past season. “Can we trade him with dlo bro” the comment read.

Hachimura did have a disappointing game. But as far as the Lakers are concerned, the youthful forward has carved out a well-deserved spot on the roster. Not only did he regularly provide offensive bursts, but Hachimura is a stellar, effort-putting defender who stays active. Furthermore, his mentor-mentee dynamic with LeBron James is another factor to consider.

The former Wizards forward also received some stereotypical hate for his shooting woes tonight. One comment said, “At this rate, Rui Hachimura should have finished building an annex room next week,” referring to the ‘bricks’ Hachimura shot during the game.

Yes, the Japan anchor did have some shooting troubles today, however, he has proven to be a relentless force when playing for his nation. His last Olympics is evidence of his incredible play with Japan.