Rui Hachimura stepping back onto the Crypto.com Arena court on Friday was never gonna be just another game. The former Lakers fan favorite, now rocking Clippers colors, came back to haunt his old squad, and man, he brought the heat with 16 points.
A Reunion for the Ages, Even with New Colors
Listen, Rui spent three and a half years with the purple and gold, and he totally won over the fans. Remember how he immediately helped snag a playoff win in his very first postseason game? That was huge, but his personality? That’s what truly made him a legend to a lot of those fans. So yeah, it stings a little that the Lakers didn’t keep him this offseason, and it probably stung even more that he stayed right there in Los Angeles, just moved across the hall to the Clippers locker room. But Friday was different. It was a chance for a proper welcome back, and you could feel the excitement from both Rui and his old team.
Austin Reaves, one of his former teammates, summed it up perfectly. “It was incredible,” Reaves said about seeing Rui again. “He’s one of my favorite teammates I’ve ever had.” Reaves even joked about Rui barely speaking English for two weeks when they first met, then becoming a chatterbox! That’s the real stuff, right? He was “always in a good mood, happy to be here, put the work in,” and Reaves is just stoked to see him “happy and successful and enjoying his life.” You gotta love that kind of respect between rivals, even when they’re battling it out.
16 Points and Zero Time for Trash Talk
And Rui wasn’t just there for the hugs, either. He played like the same dude who balled out for the Lakers last season. He was knocking down open threes, hitting those mid-range jumpers, and finished the night with a rock-solid 16 points. He was almost pulled into some friendly trash talk with Luka, but Rui just wasn’t having it. “He was just trying to talk trash or whatever, but I don’t care about those kinds of stuff,” Rui totally brushed it off after the game. Gotta love that focus! He even added that he and Luka had “a good time” during their two years together and he’s “happy to see him healthy, back on the court. Hope the best for him.” Class act, even when you’re facing your old crew.
He clearly missed his old crew, saying, “I missed all those guys, the players, the coaches.” Even though some new faces were around, he was stoked to catch up with the trainers and other staff. “It was a great moment with them. I talked some stuff with them, too, so it was a fun time.” You can tell it was more than just a game for him. Even with Luka staring him down after Rui drew a foul in the second half, it felt like that deep respect was still there. That’s the kind of rivalry you wanna see: intense on the court, but respect off it.
So, Rui Hachimura returns to Crypto.com Arena, drops a sweet 16, and shows everyone he’s still that fan-favorite player, even if he’s wearing a different shade of LA blue now. This early season matchup just fired up that crosstown rivalry, big time. You know everyone’s already counting down the days until these two LA teams clash again. It’s gonna be appointment viewing, no doubt.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Silver Screen and Roll.
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