Washington, D.C. – Washington Mystics General Manager and Head Coach Mike Thibault announced today that the team has signed guard Rui Machida, who recently helped lead Japan to a silver medal during the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games.
“Rui is a very exciting signing for us. She is one of the most dynamic point guards in the world and perfectly fits our style of play.” said Thibault. “She pushes the tempo offensively and creates great opportunities for her teammates both in transition and in the half court. We can pair her with any of our guards to give us different looks with our lineups. Her teammates will love playing with her and our fans will love watching her play.”
A 5’4” guard, Machida holds the Olympic record for assists in a single game when she totaled 18 assists in Japan’s 87-71 win over France on August 6, 2021. Machida, 28, averaged 7.2 points, 12.5 assists and 2.3 rebounds in six games during the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
The Asahikawa, Hokkaido, Japan, native has appeared in 18 games for Fujitsu Red Wave of the Japanese Basketball League during the 2021-22 season, averaging 10.7 points on .590 percent shooting, 8.3 assists and 4.6 rebounds per game.
