After spending 20 minutes with Rui Hachimura in Spokane, Washington, before an October preseason practice, it was clear that the 20-year-old forward's mentality had changed. He was no longer the quiet underclassman with all the measurables yet inconsistent production and fluctuating confidence. This was his Gonzaga team, and 2019 lottery pick status was his for the taking.
That newfound confidence he so clearly showed over six weeks ago was evident in Gonzaga's statement 89-87 win over Duke at the Maui Invitational on Wednesday, with high-level NBA executives on hand and the basketball world watching.
The 6-foot-8 forward finished with 20 points, 7 rebounds, a career-best 5 assists and 3 blocks to knock off the seemingly unbeatable Blue Devils in a head-to-head matchup with potential No. 1 pick Zion Williamson. Although he missed two big free throws down the stretch and misfired on six of his last seven shots, Hachimura made a statement with his offensive start to the game.
He cashed in an early catch-and-shoot 3, attacked Williamson off the bounce and continually beat switches with aggressive duck-ins in the paint. Hachimura also answered some questions about his offensive feel for the game, pushing in transition to kick out to an open shooter and hitting a weakside cutter against a post double-team. He still doesn't have a natural knack for passing, but for a prospect who had 29 career assists and 62 turnovers to his name coming into the game, this was certainly a step in the right direction.
Defensively, Hachimura was a mixed bag. He really struggled to keep Williamson in front off the dribble and was caught upright defending RJ Barrett several times as well. He's not quite the 1-on-1 defender his tools suggest, both on the perimeter and in the post, as Williamson also beat him with his patented drop step. His defensive rebounding instincts leave much to be desired as well. But Hachimura came up big down the stretch, altering a Barrett attempt at the rim before coming down with a loose ball and pounding the hardwood with intensity and passion. On Barrett's final drive to the rim in an attempt to tie the score, Hachimura rotated for his third block of the game with impressive verticality.
Rui Hachimura's pair of missed free throws gives Duke an opportunity to tie the score, but RJ Barrett runs into a wall of defenders and is blocked on his attempt.
Given the fact that he was late to picking up basketball, it's no surprise that Hachimura's defensive instincts and offensive feel remain questions. His reliance on midrange jumpers and his struggles in making decisions quickly against help defenders really showed in the second half. But overall, Hachimura made a statement to NBA scouts in Maui. He stepped up in big moments, and most certainly earned some fans in front offices in the process.
Scouting the Blue Devils, plus a Gonzaga sleeper
Zion Williamson | Duke
Williamson looked every bit like the No. 1 pick against Gonzaga, playing his heart out on both ends of the floor to the tune of 22 points, 10 rebounds (7 offensive), 4 blocks, 2 assists and 2 steals. Although he didn't exactly have it going offensively early on -- starting the game 4-for-11 -- he found ways to make an impact with his defense, sprinting the floor for chase-down blocks and closing out to shooters with speed and power. He swatted 3-pointers that few human beings on this planet can get to.
Williamson did misfire on his only jumper, which is a key point of emphasis moving forward. He also got hung up around the rim by Gonzaga shot-blocker Brandon Clarke, as his lack of elite reach showed in traffic. He got beat off the dribble more than you'd hope and missed a few rim-protection opportunities, as his defensive fundamentals and discipline are still improving. But his competitive fire showed. He buried smaller defenders on the interior, spun past slower defenders into switches and roasted Hachimura on a signature left-to-right, change-of-pace crossover before exploding off one leg to finish impressively.
If Williamson were given more opportunities to attack late in the game, he very well could have carried Duke to a victory. His combination of competitiveness, quickness, power and leaping ability were on full display, and his ability to keep the Blue Devils in the game despite not having a signature offensive performance speaks volumes to how valuable he'll be on a spaced NBA floor.
RJ Barrett | Duke
Barrett somewhat hijacked the game late by forcing shots in the paint and hurting Duke's momentum. Barrett went 0-for-5 in the final 57 seconds, almost icing out his teammates in the process. After Williamson tied the score with 1:45 left, he didn't touch the ball again.
Barrett looked heavy-legged around the rim, and his pull-up jumper lacked fluidity, even air-balling a step-back attempt going right. Barrett did show off his impressive slashing ability with an and-1 finish past Hachimura, as well as a poster dunk in transition. He made a timely spot 3 to answer a Gonzaga run and added some value on the glass. But to finish the game 9-of-25 with a handful of hero-ball possessions late didn't help the reputation that he has quickly developed among NBA scouts as a bit of a ball-stopping volume scorer.
Barrett didn't offer all that much on the defensive end either, getting beat off the dribble by Zach Norvell Jr. and buried in the paint by Hachimura. There's no question that Barrett's alpha-dog mentality has been a big part of his intrigue in the past, but he's very much still learning how to play against long athletes and with other high-level talents. He'll really need to improve his shooting consistency, decision-making and finesse around the rim if he wants to live up to the lofty No. 1 pick status.
Cam Reddish | Duke
Reddish shot 3-of-9 in 25 minutes, spending more or less the final seven minutes on the bench during Duke's run. His talent level was praised the first two days in Maui by NBA scouts, some of whom dubbed him a potential No. 1 pick. But as we've seen far too often, Reddish failed to perform when the stakes were raised. He had issues finishing in the paint, committed unforced turnovers and didn't offer much resistance defensively. Reddish is a big-time talent, and this is only one game, but his draft momentum was certainly slowed by a lackluster performance when the lights were brightest.
Tre Jones | Duke
Jones turned in an excellent performance, finishing with 17 points, 3 assists and 2 steals in 39 minutes. His feel for the game, defensive chops and ability to make plays in the lane really impressed scouts in Maui.
Brandon Clarke | Gonzaga
Clarke turned in a signature performance for Gonzaga, finishing with 17 points and six blocks in only 23 minutes, while knocking down his second 3 in as many games. He's a pogo-stick leaper with outstanding verticality around the rim, using his timing and bounce to alter a host of shots by Barrett and Reddish in the paint. He also bothered Williamson on a few occasions, which few collegiate players can do. He's undersized at 6-8 with a thin frame, but he opened eyes with his ability to switch, rim protection, energy and continually improving offensive play.