Chet Holmgren Calls Rui Hachimura ‘Japanese Jordan’ Before Thunder Series
chet holmgren put Rui Hachimura in a rare lane before the Lakers’ second-round matchup with the top-seeded OKC Thunder, calling him a “Japanese Jordan” while praising his spin move and shot creation. The comment lands with extra weight because Hachimura is expected to be a central Lakers option with Luka Doncic set to miss at least the first few games.
Holmgren On Hachimura
Holmgren, who also went through Gonzaga, did not hold back in his description of Hachimura’s game. “There’s something with these Gonzaga guys. He’s a talented guy,” he said during an interview with reporters.
He then sharpened the comparison. “He plays a bit like the Japanese Jordan sometimes when you see that spin move to shoot and such.”
The Thunder forward added another layer to the scouting report with a warning about how quickly Hachimura can score. “He can really make shots and make shots in bunches if you let him, so you can let him get any easy ones.”
Hachimura’s Lakers role
Hachimura enters the series after averaging 15.8 points and 4.8 rebounds per game against the Rockets in Round 1. He also shot 58.6 percent from 3-point range on about five attempts per game in the playoffs, giving the Lakers a clean scoring outlet when the offense needs one.
That production matters even more with Doncic out for at least the first few games. Hachimura is also expected to handle the primary defensive assignment against Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who averaged 33.8 points in the Thunder’s first-round sweep of the Phoenix Suns.
Thunder pressure
JJ Redick set the tone for the matchup by calling Oklahoma City “one of the greatest teams ever in NBA history.” He added, “They’re that good,” and said, “I think our guys recognize that and respect that, and we know what kind of task we have in front of us.”
So the series opens with a clear test for the Lakers: whether Hachimura’s scoring can hold up against a top-seeded Thunder team while he takes on a demanding role at the other end. Holmgren’s nickname was the headline, but the real pressure is on Hachimura to turn that praise into points.
