Washington Mystics' Rui Machida learning ropes in debut WNBA season

Washington Mystics' Rui Machida learning ropes in the debut WNBA season

 As Rui Machida continues to adjust her game to the WNBA, fans are catching glimpses of what could be in store for the league and the Washington Mystics in the near future.

The 163-cm point guard is a wizard with the ball in her hands, with a speed that feels otherworldly at times and an ability to see the floor and drive the action forward. She has a playground flair to her game, and the way she can thread the needle and deliver pinpoint passes makes her a player you can’t take your eyes off for fear of missing something.

Like during the Mystics’ game against the Connecticut Sun on May 28, when Machida zipped a no-look, over-the-shoulder dime to Elizabeth Williams that elicited a chorus of “oohs” from fans in the visiting. The WNBA posted the play on its Twitter account that night, and Bally Sports later dubbed it the “Dime of the Week.”

When asked about it during a recent Zoom interview with The Japan Times, Machida, like a good point guard, passed all the credit to Williams.

“Elizabeth is always so good at getting into good spots and she keeps her eyes on me until the very last second,” Machida said. “So I was just trying to stay aware of her so I would not miss the moment she got open.”

The dynamic point guard who turned heads around the world with her play for Japan during the Tokyo Olympics — where she set an Olympic record with 18 assists against France — is now in the WNBA trying to help the Mystics win a championship and shine a brighter light on Japanese basketball.

Expectations are high for Machida, 29, in Japan and Washington, which now has even more of Japan’s attention with Machida joining Washington Wizards forward Rui Hachimura in the U.S. capital. She is the fourth Japanese player to suit up for a WNBA team, joining Mikiko Hagiwara, who played during the league’s inaugural season in 1997, Yuko Oga, and Ramu.

“I would be lying if I said I did not feel any pressure,” Machida said, breaking into a laugh. “I can feel all the support I’m getting from Japan. I try not to think about it too much, but I do feel a little pressure.”

Machida was a star in Japan with the Fujitsu RedWave in the Women’s Japan Basketball League (W League). She is learning the ropes in the WNBA with the Mystics, a team that won the 2019 WNBA title and features players like Natasha Cloud and Elena Delle Donne. Machida has played in 18 games so far, averaging 2.8 assists and 2.3 points in 15 minutes per game.

“I’ve been trying to get used to basketball in the WNBA and with the Mystics because it’s different from what I have experienced before,” she said. “There are a lot of things I still need to learn.

“The size (of the players) and their height and length are things I was not able to experience in Japan, and I don’t think I have completely adjusted to it yet. It has been hard, and there were mistakes, but I am improving.”

Machida logged her most minutes (31) on May 13 against the Dallas Wings, finishing with eight points and seven assists. She had nine assists, her WNBA high, in 21 minutes against the defending champion Chicago Sky on June 5.

Rui Machida speaks next to Mystics head coach/general manager Mike Thibault during her introductory news conference in May. | GETTY / VIA KYODO

Rui Machida speaks next to Mystics head coach/general manager Mike Thibault during her introductory news conference in May. | GETTY / VIA KYODO

The Mystics have circumvented the language barrier on the court — Machida does not speak much English — partially by using hand signals, though Machida says she does not have trouble calling out plays. Head coach Mike Thibault, who has had her in his sights for years, has said he wants her to be aggressive on the floor.

“I’m conscious of trying to play at a high pace,” Machida said. “I was also told to be more aggressive with my shot.”

While Machida adjusts to the WNBA, she is also getting used to life in the United States. She has a friend with her who is helping with her diet and found the Mystics’ locker room to be a welcoming environment after meeting her teammates in late April. She also has an interpreter, Miki Takei.

“Everyone talks to me a lot,” Machida said. “I don’t speak much English, but they are interested in Japanese and ask me how to say English words in Japanese. We interact like that every day. That makes me happy.”

Before moving to the WNBA, Machida, a native of Asahikawa, Hokkaido, spent just over a decade with Fujitsu. She joined the team in 2011, one year after helping Sapporo Yamanote High School win the 2010 Winter Cup (she had 14 assists in the final), Japan’s biggest high school basketball tournament. She started fast in the W League, winning the Rookie of the Year award, and went on to lead the league in assists and make the Best Five team multiple times.

She was called up to Japan’s senior national team in 2014 and was part of the squad that earned bronze at the Asian Games. She gave Japanese basketball fans a taste of what was to come in 2015 when she dished out 16 assists against India during the FIBA Asia Women’s Championship, which Japan won.

Machida was already known in basketball circles when she had her major breakout during last year’s Tokyo Olympics.

She tied the Olympic record with 15 assists against Nigeria and broke it with 18 against France in the semifinals as she helped guide Japan on a Cinderella run through the tournament, with the host nation taking silver after falling against the United States in the final. The U.S. team had seen Machida record 11 assists earlier in the tournament and was ready for her in their second meeting.

“We knew if Rui had come locked in and ready to go, we could lose,” U.S. superstar Diana Taurasi told reporters after the game.

Machida averaged 12.5 assists and 7.2 points during the Tokyo Games.

Rui Machida goes up for a layup in front of U.S. forward Breanna Stewart during the women's basketball gold medal game at the Tokyo Olympics in Saitama on Aug. 8, 2021. | USA TODAY / VIA REUTERS

Rui Machida goes up for a layup in front of U.S. forward Breanna Stewart during the women’s basketball gold medal game at the Tokyo Olympics in Saitama on Aug. 8, 2021. | USA TODAY / VIA REUTERS

When the Mystics reached out, Machida realized she was ready to take on a new challenge.

“When I got the offer, I felt like it was something I wanted to do,” she said. “Plus, the Mystics’ style of play seemed similar. My feeling of wanting to join the team and win a championship just kept getting stronger and stronger, so I decided to do it.”

Machida signed with Washington in February and finished the 2021-22 season with the RedWave. She played in the W League final in April before making a quick turnaround and heading stateside later in the month, meaning she has not had much time off.

“The schedule has been pretty hard,” she said. “The schedules in the W League and the WNBA are different, so it’s been hard to adjust to the conditions.”

Machida said she is not feeling a lot of fatigue and is focused on adjusting to her new surroundings.

“As far as numbers go, I don’t have a target,” she said. “I just want to reach various goals one-by-one, game-by-game so that I can continue to grow. I think I have something to offer, so I want to do my best to contribute to the team and win the championship.”

She also knows the attention she will garner if she has success will resonate at home.

“There is a lot of attention on me since I am playing in the WNBA,” she said. “It would be nice for people to learn more about Japanese basketball, and I want Japanese fans to watch the WNBA. I think both will be exciting and people can find different things to enjoy. So I want to help Japanese women’s basketball continue to get more attention.”