Rui Hachimura moved on from the Lakers, and he’s hoping his fans do, too.
On his official Instagram account @blacksamurai, a clip of Hachimura gifting a Clippers jersey to a fan was posted. The fan originally was wearing Hachimura’s No. 28 Lakers jersey, but the forward asked the boy to swap it for a new Clippers jersey instead.
Los Angeles Clippers forward Rui Hachimura (28) on media day at Intuit Dome. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
“This one looks way cooler,” Hachimura said of the Clippers’ threads. “Everyone, please go buy the Clippers jersey.”
Hachimura signed a two-year, $28 million deal with the Clippers in July. He spent parts of four seasons with the Lakers and averaged 11.5 points and 3.3 rebounds per game. He shot 51.4% overall and 44.3% from 3-point range in 2025-26.
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Hachimura joins the crosstown rivals at a dark time in the franchise’s history.
The Clippers were stripped of five first-round picks, fined $30 million, and owner Steve Ballmer and president of basketball operations Lawrence Frank face suspensions. It’s a trying time for an organization that has never quite stepped out of the Lakers’ shadow.
The 2026-27 campaign will be a key opportunity for the organization to win fans back after the summer’s biggest scandal.
Interim president of basketball operations Trent Redden issued an apology from the team at Clippers media day Monday.
“Our fans deserve to hear from us before this, and for that we’re sorry,” Redden said Monday. “We’ve been listening to the thoughts, the concerns and feeling the emotions of our fan base. They mean everything to us. … We hope to fulfill our promises to them, to build their trust and move forward through this time.
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“This franchise often has done its best work with its back against the wall … We hope to represent our fans the same way we always have in dark times, by coming out fighting.”
The Clippers are attempting to retain their fan base, but it appears Hachimura is hoping to add Lakers fans to the group ahead of his inaugural season with the team.
Los Angeles Clippers forward Bradley Beal (3) and forward Rui Hachimura (28) pose for a photo on media day at Intuit Dome. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Rui Hachimura #28 of the Los Angeles Lakers looks on during the game against the Oklahoma City Thunder. NBAE via Getty Images
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