LeBron James Mentors Young Forward Rui Hachimura During Offseason

LeBron James has taken one of the Los Angeles Lakers’ young forwards, 25-year-old Rui Hachimura, under his wing this offseason, confirming the rumors that they have been working together extensively.

Lakers head coach Darvin Ham first hinted at their close relationship, stating that Hachimura has been spending most of the summer training with LeBron.

During media day on Monday, LeBron affectionately referred to Hachimura as “my Daniel-san,” drawing a playful reference to the iconic characters from “The Karate Kid” movie, with LeBron humorously labeling himself “Mr. Miyagi.”

As Hachimura enters his first full season with the Lakers, following his acquisition from the Washington Wizards midway through the previous season, fans are eager to see his development. In his 33 games with the Lakers in the 2022-23 season, he averaged 9.6 points and 4.7 rebounds while shooting an impressive 48.5 percent from the field.