Rui Hachimura: Lakers have their own bubble inside the NBA bubble

Rui Hachimura: In the NBA, we already live in our own bubble, right? The NBA is its own world—300 players, small group. But the Lakers? They have their own bubble inside that. We move differently. The travel schedule, the media attention—everything is different. Every game feels like a playoff game. At home, of course, every seat is sold out. But even on the road, it’s crazy. When I was with the Wizards, some games, the arena would be half-empty. But when you play for the Lakers? Every team treats it like their biggest game of the season. You go to Detroit—boom, it’s packed. Oklahoma—sold out. Dallas—feels like a playoff game.