With a late rebound and two important free throws, Rui Hachimura helped the Washington Wizards to victory in the Japanese player's first taste of NBA basketball, an 84-79 Summer League win over the New Orleans Pelicans.

Hachimura scored 14 points on 16 shots in his debut for the Wizards, adding five rebounds, two blocks and three turnovers in over 33 minutes on the court.

Second-year player Troy Brown Jr. led the way for Washington in the team's first game in Las Vegas, scoring 18 points and grabbing 15 rebounds.

Trevon Bluiett netted 23 points for a Pelicans squad missing No. 1 draft pick and emerging superstar Zion Williamson. The Duke University standout sat out the game after suffering a minor knee injury in his Summer League debut on Friday.

The ninth pick in the draft, Hachimura opened his NBA account early in the first quarter with a short-range jump hook from the lane, but that was the only bucket he got in the first 20 minutes as he ended the first half shooting 1-for-7 from the field.

He started the second half with a quick score, knocking down a long-range two after setting a screen, showing his versatility from the perimeter.

Hachimura flushed an alley-oop dunk and then scored on a nice spinning drive in the fourth, but did not have a major impact on the game, often a difficult task for a big man in guard-centric Summer League basketball.

Speaking before the game, Hachimura said it was a huge relief to play again after the long draft process.

"I'm just excited to be back on the court. I have not played since after the (college) season, I'm finally here, and playing with these guys, I'm really excited," the former Gonzaga Bulldog said.

Interviewed on the game telecast, Wizards head coach Scott Brooks sung the praises of his new Japanese recruit, saying he has made an excellent early impression.

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"I love his professionalism," Brooks said. "He just comes to work every day, he has had some great practices. He's solid, he's not looking to do things that are not within his game and he is a young player who is going to continue to improve."

Now-retired NBA champion Chauncey Billups caused a stir on draft night when he compared Hachumura to reigning finals MVP Kawhi Leonard -- considered by some to be one of the league's best players -- but Brooks was quick to hose down expectations.

"There are definitely some comparisons -- you hate to say it because you are talking about one of the best players in the game -- but (Hachimura's) demeanor has been terrific. You don't know if he had a great play or if he had a bad play, he plays the game the same way," Brooks said.

"I love his passion for the game, he is a very high IQ basketball player."

For the Pelicans, Japan national team star and Link Tochigi Brex shooting guard Makoto Hiejima saw the court for just over five minutes, missing both shots he attempted.

Earlier on Saturday in Las Vegas, the Memphis Grizzlies' Yuta Watanabe continued his strong play in his team's 101-75 win over the Indiana Pacers.

The 24-year-old Japanese, playing in his second NBA Summer League after going undrafted last year, scored 15 points on 5-for-7 from the field while adding four rebounds and three assists.

In two games at the Salt Lake Summer League played in Utah earlier in the week, Watanabe averaged 16 points and nine rebounds, his scoring enough to rank him fourth among all players there.

Suiting up for the Dallas Mavericks, Japanese 23-year-old Yudai Baba made an impact in his almost 17 minutes of court time. The Alvark Tokyo swingman scored eight points and collected three rebounds in Dallas' 113-81 win over the Houston Rockets.