One Los Angeles Lakers role player is hopping on the trend of trying out some unconventional offseason workouts.
On Monday, Lakers forward Rui Hachimura went live on Instagram to share his real-time experience at what appeared to be a sumo wrestling dojo. The Japanese-born hooper did more than admire the rikishis’ technique and traditional loincloth garb.
One sumo wrestler taught Rui the proper stance. The NBA veteran then tried to mimic a forward-moving exercise while staying low to the ground.
Rui Hachimura training alongside sumo wrestlers in Japan this offseason 😤
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) August 11, 2025
(via rui_8mura/IG)pic.twitter.com/BclL9NdjT5
It’s possible that Hachimura was only there to soak in the atmosphere and pay his respect to sumo culture. But such training may have some real benefits on an NBA floor.
Hachimura serves as an undersized power forward for the Lakers. The 6’8″ stretch four is often tasked with defending bigger players and helping box out for rebounds. A sumo swim move could prove useful during a free throw line box-out.
The Gonzaga alum played in 59 games (57 starts) for the Lakers last season, averaging 13.1 points and 5.0 rebounds per contest. Only LeBron James, Luka Doncic, and Austin Reaves got more minutes than Rui during the 2024-25 campaign.
Hachimura is far from the first athlete to do a sumo crossover. Dallas Cowboys linebacker Micah Parsons also spent some time at a sumo wrestling dojo last year, and got humbled while trying to keep up.
