Image: No. 9 Pick Rui Hachimura Signs Rookie Contract with Wizards

Rui Hachimura agreed to his rookie contract with the Washington Wizards on Monday after the franchise took him ninth overall in the 2019 NBA draft on June 20.

It's been quite the journey for Hachimura. He did not start playing basketball until he was 13 years old. He then turned into a 3-star recruit coming out of high school before ultimately becoming a lottery pick and the first Japanese-born player to ever be drafted in the first round

Hachimura's college career at Gonzaga featured a steady upward trajectory. After logging just 4.6 minutes per game as a freshman, he transformed into an All-American by the end of his time on campus.

The 6'8", 230-pound forward is coming off a season that saw him establish new career highs in field-goal percentage (59.1 percent), scoring (19.7 points per game) and rebounding (6.5 rebounds per game) for the Bulldogs. While perimeter shooting is not a big part of his game, he did show the ability to step outside and knock down a shot, going 15-of-36 from distance as a junior.

He also has experience playing for Japan's national team:

After Washington snagged Hachimura in the draft, Wizards coach Scott Brooks had nothing but praise for the 21-year-old, per 106.7 The Fan's Ben Krimmel:

"He's a really good basketball player that has a great upside. He's a two-way player, he's just gonna be a great teammate, he's coachable. I talked to (Gonzaga head coach Mark) Few (Thursday) morning and he just said, 'Coach, it's gonna be like he was heaven-sent in your locker room. He's gonna work his tail off every single day. He's one of those kids that will get up in the morning, early morning, six o'clock in the morning workouts. And feel like he has to do it because if he doesn't he won't have a good day the rest the day.' Those are the type of guys we need."

When healthy, Washington has one of the most talented backcourts in basketball, thanks to All-Stars John Wall and Bradley Beal. However, that dynamic duo has been unable to lead the Wizards beyond the second round of the postseason, and Wall's status for next season currently looks bleak as he recovers from an Achilles injury.

Having Beal on the roster should allow Hachimura to ease his way into the NBA. He will not be asked to carry the load on offense the way he was last season at Gonzaga. Instead, he will have the ability to contribute as opposing defenses focus on the backcourt.