Rui Hachimura's parents: Makiko and Zakari Jabil (pictures)
Rui Hachimura of the LA Lakers is the first Japanese-born athlete to be drafted in the first round of the NBA draft and is currently one of the league's best forwards. The emerging star has a growing basketball fanbase who wants to know about his personal life and origin. This article highlights the lesser-known details about Rui Hachimura's parents.
Source: Getty Images
Rui Hachimura's dad supported his passion for sports. He was drafted by the Washington Wizards of the NBA in 2019 and was named the Julius Erving Small Forward of the Year 2018/2019. The forward was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers in January 2023 and plays for the Japan national team.
Rui Hachimura's parents' profile summary
| Father's name | Zakari Jabil |
| Mother's name | Makiko Hachimura |
| Father's origin | Benin, West Africa |
| Mother's origin | Japan |
| Father's ethnicity | African |
| Mother's ethnicity | Japanese |
| Current residence | Japan's west coast |
| Children | Four, including sons Allen and Rui and two daughters |
Who are Rui Hachimura's parents?
Rui Hachimura's father, Zakari Jabil, is from Benin, West Africa, while his mother, Makiko Hachimura, is from Japan. His two names originate from his mother's side of the family. His maternal grandfather named him Rui, which translates to base, because he loved baseball.
The basketballer told The Mainichi magazine he inherited his on-field agility from his parents.
I inherited a privileged body from my father and the diligence to keep making efforts from my mother.
Source: Getty Images
Who is Rui Hachimura's sister?
Hachimura has a younger sister, Amina, who plays basketball and creates art. The NBA star has two other younger siblings, a sister and a brother.
Rui's brother Allen Aren played basketball for Tokai University in Japan, but little is known about his other sister. Rui Hachimura's family still resides in Japan.
Where is Rui Hachimura from?
The basketball player was born on 8 February 1998 (25 years in 2023) in Toyama, Japan, where he lived until he was 18. He relocated to the US in 2016 to join Gonzaga University, where he spent three years of his collegiate basketball career. The Washington Wizards drafted him as the 9th overall pick during the 2019 NBA draft.
What ethnicity is Rui?
The athlete has mixed ethnicity. He is half Japanese from his mother's side and half Beninese from his father's side. He previously revealed he had trouble blending in as a biracial Japanese sportsperson in a country dominated by one culture but is glad to inspire others like him.
They have a lot of challenges in sports, not just basketball but other sports. There is a lot of discrimination...They looked at me like I was different. I got used to it. It is what it is because they don't have but so many black people in Japan.
Source: Getty Images
Rui opened up to Jasmine Jordan during the 2020 Airbnb Olympian & Paralympian Online Experiences interview, saying that sports helped him get recognition.
I started playing sports and I was actually really good at it and I was more athletic than anybody else and I was good at everything you know, baseball, basketball, karate, soccer, track and field, I was always No.1 so that’s how people started respecting me more.
How many languages does Rui Hachimura speak?
The forward speaks fluent Japanese and English but did not fully grasp the English language when he first arrived in the United States. He struggled to communicate with his Gonzaga teammates but learned by taking classes. He also listened to rap music and watched English TV shows like The Vampire Diaries.
Rui Hachimura's parents are proud of their son's achievements overseas. He easily blended into the United States' diverse culture and continues putting his country, Japan, on the global sports map.
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Source: Briefly News
