Nowitzki says Lakers will miss Rui Hachimura as NBA season nears opener

The 2026-27 NBA season is scheduled to open on the 20th (21st Japan time). Just before that, on the 13th, former star Dirk Nowitzki spoke to reporters in New York about Rui Hachimura, who joined the Clippers this season. Nowitzki said the Lakers, for whom Hachimura played last season, will miss him, and he gave a strong endorsement of Hachimura's play.

Nowitzki is a tall forward from Germany who spent his entire NBA career with the Dallas Mavericks. In 2007, he became the first European player to win MVP honors, and in 2011, he led the Mavericks to their first championship. As a pioneer for European players, he remains a major presence in international basketball.

Hachimura has long been a key player for the Japan national team. In the NBA, he played for the Wizards before joining the Lakers last season. This season, he has joined the Clippers. A former star's assessment of a player who has left a team is one factor in judging how he will be used and what role he will have with his new club.

The NBA regular season begins each October, with teams playing 82 games over about six months. A player's role on a new team depends on the roster makeup and the coach's usage decisions. Comments made before the season opens tend to heighten interest in player evaluations and team comparisons.

Comments from former players are often taken as perspectives based on their own playing experience. Nowitzki himself spent many years with the Mavericks and was a central player for the team. His assessment from that standpoint draws attention as an objective benchmark for evaluating players.

The key point to watch is how much playing time Hachimura receives with the Clippers and how he makes his presence felt on the court. His role with the new team should become clearer over the first few games of the season. Moves by each team ahead of opening day will also be a focus.

Basketball Press view

Nowitzki was the first European player to win MVP, so his comments carry weight in international basketball. For a player like Hachimura, who is being evaluated by a new team after a trade, a former star's remarks draw attention before the season opens. How a player who has just changed teams is judged will be determined by how he is used and how he plays after the season begins.

This article was written by the Basketball Press editors based on the cited reports. AI is used to assist in writing and translating our articles. Please check the source for full details and exact figures.