Rui Hachimura's decision to end his college career in hopes of making a splash in the world's premier basketball league caused quite a stir in his homeland, but Japanese fans must temper expectations for their ascendant star.
After a stellar junior year at Gonzaga University, the 21-year-old Hachimura announced last week that he will enter the NBA Draft, opening the likely possibility of becoming the first Japanese to enter the league via the draft.
If all goes to plan, he will be selected among the first 30 players in the draft's opening round, but for the young man from Toyama Prefecture, that is where the hardest work will begin.