I pattern my game after Kawhi and Giannis - Rui Hachimura

TOKYO (FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019 Asian Qualifiers) - Japan extended their winning run in the Asian Qualifiers after a convincing win over Kazakhstan on Day 1 of the fourth window.

The Japanese dictated the tempo of the game from the tip thanks to hot shooting from Yuta Watanabe and all-around great production from Rui Hachimura.

Watanabe ended the game with 17 points, while Hachimura paced the Akatsuki Five with a dominant 24 points, 7 rebounds, 3 steals and 1 block on top of 8-of-14 field goal shooting.

It was Hachimura's third Asian Qualifiers fixture, and so far, he has been splendid in every match, garnering not just the attention but the admiration of basketball fans all over Asia.

The softspoken 20-year-old university student-athlete, however, is quick to deflect the credit, highlighting instead the team's tight defense in their third win in a row.

"I think we had very good defense tonight," he mentioned in the post-game press conference. "We did a good job with our rebounding, and we need to do that again for our next game."

What he described was true, of course, but there is no denying the impact Hachimura has had on the national team, which have not lost a single game since he made his Asian Qualifiers debut in the third window.

His combination of size, mobility, athleticism and power is a rarity in Japanese basketball, and perhaps not since the days of Michael Takahashi have the Japanese fans seen someone play the way Hachimura does.

The current Gonzaga Bulldog, though, knows he still has a long way to go to be among Asia's bona fide elite players, and to get there, he has chosen two excellent models after whom he is trying to pattern his style of play.

"The players I really like are Kawhi Leonard and Giannis Antetokounmpo," he bared. "I am trying to pattern my style after those two players."

The parallels are clear. Like those two top tier NBA stars, Hachimura has all the physical tools to be a dominant player in his position. Like Kawhi, Hachimura is a tough defender whether it's at the perimeter or in the paint. Like Giannis, Hachimura can run the break on his own or finish with authority against even bigger foes.

He is a tremendous physical specimen whose potential to be an outstanding two-way player for Japan is unprecedented, which is why a lot of his fans are hoping they'll see him one day join the NBA Draft and be the first Japan-born player picked in the much awaited annual event.

"Yeah I hope to apply to the NBA Draft next year, but I am just focusing on working hard now, practicing everyday and hopefully I will get to that level soon," he said.

Japan next take on powerhouse Iran at home in Tokyo on 17 September, and, for sure, that will be quite a challenging affair for Hachimura and the rest of the Akatsuki Five. The entire country will watch as the high flying 6ft 8in forward tries to channel his inner Kawhi and Giannis against the three-time Asia Cup champions.

FIBA