Washington Wizards: 5 players facing most pressure in 2019-20

5. Rui Hachimura

I almost put Ian Mahinmi here in this list, but Washington Wizards fans are so done with him that any production that comes out of him will seem like it was sent from the heavens.

Instead, Rui Hachimura is fifth on the list, coming in as the No. 9 overall pick in this year’s draft. There is not too much pressure from the team due to the low expectations. He will see playing time but nobody expects perfection out of him.

The pressure on the Japanese-born player will come instead from his legion on fans back in his home country. However, the forward handles the media very well and has grown accustomed to having an army of Japanese photographers following his every move.

As the first Japanese player selected in the first round and one of the stars of the national team, he has a lot to live up to, but if he can show growth this season compared to his three years at Gonzaga, this season will be considered a success.

https://twitter.com/WashWizards/status/1160903094978453504

Hachimura has a strong chance at grabbing a starting role from day one, which places a bit more pressure on his shoulders. But it should not be anything he cannot handle.

His maturity off the court and his decision-making ability exceeds that of most 21-year-olds, while his strong frame is suited for the NBA.

Washington is not expecting too much out of him in his first professional season, partly because they recognize that his mid-range game is already polished. They do want to see this appealing prospect grow and adapt his game to the modern NBA, particularly his 3-point shooting.