Rui Hachimura has an opportunity to be "incredibly successful" in the pros if he commits to his craft and manages to navigate the challenges of life as a player in the world's best basketball league, says NBA Commissioner Adam Silver.

Speaking in a Tokyo hotel on Monday, Silver said he is extremely optimistic about Hachimura's potential to impact the game in both the United States and Japan.

Hachimura, who put together a stellar three-year career at Gonzaga University before being selected ninth in the first round of the most recent NBA draft, will make his regular-season debut with the Washington Wizards on Oct. 23.