Rui Machida: The Playmaker Who Set an Olympic Record
Rui Machida: The Playmaker Who Set an Olympic Record
Eighteen assists in a single Olympic game — a record — then a move to the WNBA. At 5ft 4in, Rui Machida is one of the most dazzling passers basketball has seen.
Rui Machida is one of the world’s most dynamic point guards. At the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, where Japan won silver, she set the Olympic record for assists in a single game with 18 (against France) and averaged a remarkable 12.5 assists per game. She later signed with the WNBA’s Washington Mystics, with her coach comparing her playmaking to Steve Nash. ⚠ Her current club can change — check the latest.
In this guide
1. Who Rui Machida is
2. An Olympic assists record
3. Taking her game to the WNBA
4. Why she matters
1. Who Rui Machida is
The tiny point guard with a historic passing game.
Rui Machida is a visionary playmaker who turns passing into an art form.1 Standing just 5ft 4in, she more than compensates with court vision, pace and an almost telepathic feel for her teammates. ⚠ Career details continue to evolve — confirm the latest.
2. An Olympic assists record
At the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, Machida set the Olympic record for assists in a single game with 18, in Japan’s win over France on 6 August 2021, and averaged an extraordinary 12.5 assists per game across the tournament as Japan reached the final and won silver.1
3. Taking her game to the WNBA
On the back of that breakout, Machida signed with the WNBA’s Washington Mystics, where head coach Mike Thibault likened her playmaking to NBA Hall-of-Famer Steve Nash.1 She is regarded as one of the finest pure point guards in the international game. ⚠ Confirm her current club.
4. Why she matters
- She holds an Olympic record. 18 assists in a single game at Tokyo 2020.
- She elevates everyone. 12.5 assists a game in an Olympic tournament.
- She reached the WNBA. Signed by the Washington Mystics.
In five lines
- Rui Machida is one of the world’s best point guards.
- She set the Olympic single-game assists record with 18.
- She averaged 12.5 assists per game at Tokyo 2020.
- She helped Japan win Olympic silver on home soil.
- She signed with the WNBA’s Washington Mystics. ⚠ Confirm her current club.
The team that won Olympic silver
Explore the players who took Japan to the top of the world game.
Sources & notes
- Rui Machida — point guard, 5’4″; Tokyo 2020 Olympic silver; Olympic single-game assists record (18 vs France, 6 Aug 2021); 12.5 assists pg at Tokyo 2020; signed WNBA Washington Mystics (2022). Wikipedia; The Washington Post
A player profile dated 15 June 2026. Current club and totals change — flagged ⚠ items should be confirmed against official sources.
📅 更新履歴
| 日付 | 変更内容 |
|---|---|
| 2026年6月15日 | 初回公開 |
✅ ファクト再検証
最終検証日：2026年6月15日
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