Washington Wizards first-round draft pick Rui Hachimura competed in his first NBA Summer League game on Saturday, contributing to the team’s 84-79 win over the New Orleans Pelicans at Thomas and Mack Center.
The 21-year-old forward, playing for the first time since his final appearance for Gonzaga University during the NCAA Tournament in March, got off to a shaky start and committed a few miscues in the first half. The rookie from Toyama Prefecture eventually found his footing, scoring 12 of his 14 points in the second half.
Hachimura, taken ninth in last month's draft, even displayed his exceptional athleticism with an alley-oop dunk in the third quarter and later scored a layup despite being guarded by two defenders underneath the basket in the fourth quarter.