TOYAMA, Japan - Los Angeles Clippers forward Rui Hachimura excited young fans at a basketball clinic in his hometown of Toyama on Saturday by reiterating his plan to one day play for the local franchise.
The Toyama Grouses are set to compete in the new top tier of Japanese men's professional basketball, the B.League Premier, playing their home games at the Toyama City General Gymnasium, where Hachimura hosted the free clinic for 200 children from around Toyama Prefecture.
Having recently expressed his desire to end his playing career with the club, the 28-year-old Hachimura in his latest comments indicated he wanted to have plenty left in the tank when he eventually made the move.
"I want to come when I can still perform at the level I do now, when my body is still truly capable of moving well," he said.
Hachimura played to the crowd by suggesting current Japan teammate Yudai Baba, who was his senior at the same junior high school in Toyama, might join him at the Grouses.
"I think the Toyama Grouses are going to get stronger from here on out," Hachimura said. "I want to join the team, and if possible, I'd like to recruit Yudai-san to come play alongside me."
Hachimura, Japan's longest-serving NBA player, is about to head into his first preseason since parting ways with the Los Angeles Lakers and signing with the Clippers on a two-year deal.
"I want to become a starter and establish myself as the team's second or third-best player," he said.
After coaching and mingling with the children in a friendly atmosphere, he deemed the clinic a success.
"I held this event hoping it would spark dreams and goals for them," he said. "I think it turned out to be a great memory."
