Facing an NBA All-Star at the FIBA World Cup is not an easy feat. But, the Japanese National team, aptly named The Akatsuki, had the home energy at Okinawa to power them in upsetting Lauri Markkanen's Finland. They had a four-headed monster on the court with Keisei Tominaga, Makoto Hiejima, Yuki Kawamura, and Joshua Hawkinson. The team could have had Los Angeles Lakers star Rui Hachimura but he was already just glad supporting his team from afar.

The Lakers star could not help but be proud of the Akatsuki's accomplishments. They have a standing chance of getting through the knockout stages of the FIBA World Cup. Rui Hachimura just could not contain his emotions and posted his reaction to their win over Lauri Markkanen's team.

“Great win today by @JAPANBASKETBALL! Let’s keep it going and support them as they take on Australia,” he wrote on Twitter. 

Despite the Lakers star's absence, Japan was led by Joshua Hawkinson in scoring with 28 points on 62.5% field goal shooting. Yuki Kawamura also followed suit by knocking down 25 points. Keisei Tominaga and Makoto Hiejima also both notched 17 points on terrific efficiency. Yuta Watanabe struggled from all three levels of scoring but they still managed to get the win.

The team will now face the Australian Boomers in their next game. It will not be an easy feat given the completeness of their skill sets. Josh Giddey, Joe Ingles, Xavier Cooks, and Patty Mills have all proven to be tough on the international stage. However, this Japanese squad also proved that they are a tough nut to deal with.