LeBron James acknowledges Dodgers' new $6,500,000 signing before Rui Hachimura's heartfelt interaction with fellow Japanese
LeBron James and Rui Hachimura welcomed new LA Dodgers pitcher Roki Sasaki on Tuesday at Crypto.com Arena. Sasaki, who was sought after by multiple teams, chose the reigning MLB champs despite them reportedly offering $6.5 million, the least among his suitors. Four days after Sasaki announced his decision on Instagram, the Japanese player watched his first LA Lakers game.
The four-time MVP met and greeted Sasaki before starting his shooting drills. Hachimura did the same and posed with his compatriot while representing LA with a hand symbol.
LeBron James’ excitement to meet Roki Sasaki was unsurprising. When the LA Dodgers won the World Series in 2024, the NBA’s all-time points leader toasted the champs. With Sasaki joining fellow Japanese sensations Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto, the Dodgers could repeat the feat in 2025.
It wasn’t just James who was excited to see Sasaki. The pro-Los Angeles crowd also cheered for the highly sought-after pitcher. Sasaki played four seasons for Chiba Lotte in Japan and ended his stint there with a 2.02 ERA.
LA fans will now regularly see fastballs that can reach 102 MPH. The Japanese also has nasty sliders and splitters in his arsenal, making him a tough opponent against any hitter.
LeBron James and the LA Lakers hosted the Washington Wizards with Roki Sasaki in attendance
After losing 116-102 to the LA Clippers on Sunday, LeBron James and Co. are aiming to bounce back against the Washington Wizards two days later. LA, 4-0 against Washington over the last two seasons, looks to keep its dominance over the Kyle Kuzma-led team. With special guest Roki Sasaki sitting at courtside, the Lakers would want to keep winning versus a team it usually overwhelms.
James and Rui Hachimura, who played for the Wizards before arriving in LA, impacted the game early. The Japanese forward had four points and two rebounds in the first six minutes. King James added two points, two rebounds and two assists during the same stretch.
At the time of writing, the Lakers led by 13-12 as Jordan Poole and former Laker Kyle Kuzma shone for the visitors. Sasaki already experienced an exciting back-and-forth early in the game.