CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Less than 12 months ago, Lakers coach JJ Redick provided one of the biggest compliments a player in Rui Hachimura’s position could receive.
Last December, Redick said Hachimura up to that point had been the team’s most consistent player “in terms of what we’ve asked him to do and then going out and executing it.”
What followed from that comment was what Redick described as a “career year” for Hachimura in 2024-25 – and the 27-year-old forward has been even better so far in the early parts of 2025-26.
“Nobody talks about him, but he deserves a lot of credit [for] our wins,” said All-Star guard Luka Doncic, who has referred to Hachimura as “underrated.”
Doncic added: “He’s been amazing for us, and the way he plays like every game just helps us a lot.”
Hachimura’s averages through the Lakers’ 8-3 start to the season, ahead of Wednesday’s matchup against the defending NBA champion Oklahoma City Thunder: career-highs of 16.3 points, 58.6% shooting from the field, 62.2% on 2-point attempts and 52.4% from 3-point range, to go along with 3.6 rebounds and 1.4 assists in 34.7 minutes.
But at a time when the Lakers have already used seven different starting lineups due to assorted player health issues, Hachimura’s “consistency” has stood out the most, according to veteran guard Marcus Smart.
Hachimura is one of three Lakers to play in every game so far, along with fellow forwards Jake LaRavia and Jarred Vanderbilt.
“One thing we know about Rui is he’s gonna be consistent,” Smart said. “He’s gonna get to his spots. He’s gonna make plays for us, and he’s gonna come in clutch for us. And that all is coming within touching the [rock] here and there, and not getting as many shots or being efficient in the shots that he gets.”
Outside of playing in every game so far, the biggest testament to Hachimura’s consistency is the fact that he has shot at least 50% from the field in 10 of the Lakers’ 11 games, including the first nine before a team-wide disappointing showing in Saturday’s loss to the Atlanta Hawks.
It’s a statistical feat Hachimura wasn’t aware of until he was told after Monday’s road win against the Charlotte Hornets.
“It’s just decision-making, shot selection,” Hachimura said. “Me and [assistant coach] Beau [Levesque] have been working a lot, watching the film, just trying to be [smarter] with the shot selection. Just trying to be aggressive and trying to play my game. It’s working.”
Hachimura’s career year last season came on the strength of a more analytically-friendly shot profile – more 3-point attempts and fewer midrange shots.
But this season, the Lakers have needed to lean on Hachimura’s midrange prowess. And he’s delivered to the point where Redick compared his effectiveness in the area to prime Michael Jordan and Kawhi Leonard.
[It feels] like he’s not going to miss a mid-range shot right now,” Redick said. “So there’s a little give and take that you have to have. That goes back to the necessity of getting a quality shot on a possession with some of the lineups we’ve had out there this year.”
Hachimura’s 63% shooting on midrange shots is the NBA’s second-best mark among the 88 players who have taken at least 10 attempts from the area.
“Those have been my shots, so it’s nothing new,” he said. “So it’s [not surprising] for me. I watched [Hall of Famer] Carmelo [Anthony] growing up; that’s part of his game. It’s nothing special for me.”
And on Monday night, when the Lakers needed it, Hachimura stepped up on the defensive end. Redick said Hachimura’s defensive performance during the third quarter against the Hornets was “as good as we’ve seen him on that end of the floor.”
“Just the attention to detail,” guard Austin Reaves added on what has stood out about Hachimura’s defense. “You can go ask him at any point in the game what coverage we’re in, what we’re wanting to do in certain actions, and he’s super locked into that. And when you’re super locked into that, and effort’s high, you’re going to be put in situations to be in the right spot, make the right play. And I feel like that’s been what he’s done. The competitive spirit’s very high. He pays attention to the little details and where he needs to be in our defense, and has been really, really good for us.”
LAKERS AT THUNDER
When: Wednesday, 6:30 p.m. PT
Where: Paycom Center, Oklahoma City
TV/Radio: ESPN, Spectrum SportsNet/710 AM