“Swing, Swing mo-her-uck-r” — LeBron James’ frustration was visible at Rui Hachimura in the recent matchup against the Sacramento Kings. While this game resulted in a win, the very next game, the Lakers had a taste of defeat by 109-105 against the Phoenix Suns. No wonder that former Lakers star Robert Horry has backed Bron’s frustration over Rui. The 7x NBA champ has never been one to sugarcoat his thoughts, and his latest critique of Hachimura is no exception.

You can relate to Horry’s chain of thought if you too have ever felt that the 26-year-old Lakers star sometimes forces his shots. “The thing about Rui, if you watch him play, he’s f-cking clueless half the time,” Horry said on his podcast. According to him, when Rui decides to shoot, he’s locked in. And unless he’s double-teamed or fumbles with the ball, that shot is going up.

But it turns out this not may entirely be Hachimura’s fault. If anything, his growth since last season as a confident shooter came directly from the Lakers’ own playbook. According to an article by Lakers Nation in April 2023, his teammates and coaches were pushing him to let those 3s fly.

“I’ve been practicing the shot all year, and I was waiting for this moment,” Hachimura explained. “I’m more confident shooting those 3s and everybody keeps encouraging me to shoot those 3s and be ready.” This was visible from the fact that he had the highest 3-point attempts (3.4) in his NBA career so far in 2023-24.

There is no denying that Hachimura’s shooting percentage from beyond the field also witnessed a rise to 42.2%. The Lakers forward has spoken previously about the confidence his teammates and coaches have given him, constantly encouraging him to keep shooting and it is paying off. While Horry’s comments on the Big Shot Bob podcast paint him a certain way, Hachimura had something to say about his strong start to season 2024-25.

Rui Hachimura credits LeBron James and more for his strong start to the season

In just four games so far, it’s clear that these Lakers look different from last year. Even with the loss to the Phoenix Suns, the team’s energy and chemistry are on a whole new level. A big part of that fresh vibe? Yep, Rui Hachimura. His performance so far this season has fans buzzing, and for good reason.

Against the Suns, Hachimura had his best game of the season, racking up 20 points, 10 rebounds, 2 assists, a steal, and a block. Plus a perfect 3-of-3 from beyond the arc. It’s the kind of performance Lakers fans love to see—especially from a player who’s already showing how he fits right in with LA’s stars.

After helping the Lakers take down the Sacramento Kings, Hachimura opened up about why he’s thriving this season, especially with his off-ball movement. “Playing with LeBron, AD, AR [Austin Reaves], D’Lo… those guys can pass, and they’re always watching,” he shared. “I trust them, and they know I’m good at it. Since day one, we’ve been working on our chemistry, and it’s just getting better.”

Now Robert Horry’s criticism and LeBron James’ frustration for the 26-year-old comes for a greater good. But the 26-year-old can continue taking these shots as long as he can sink them in.