Lakers’ Rui Hachimura strongly denies Doja Cat rumors

Rui Hachimura did not hesitate to shut down viral speculation linking him to Doja Cat, offering a blunt response after the rumor gained traction across Instagram this week, Yahoo reports.

The chatter took off after an Instagram account shared a photo of Hachimura smiling with his arm around the “Paint the Town Red” artist. The post, published Jan. 28, suggested the two were “allegedly dating” and invited fans to weigh in. Within hours, the image racked up more than 67,000 likes and thousands of comments, quickly turning into a trending topic among NBA and pop culture audiences.

Hachimura ended the speculation himself by jumping into the comments. The Lakers forward replied directly to the post, writing, “Mann f— no.” His response spread just as quickly as the original rumor, effectively putting a stop to the conversation.

Rui vehemently denies rumors of him dating Doja Cat pic.twitter.com/uG4VlyOA8p

— Lakers Daily (@LakersDailyCom) January 28, 2026

Hachimura, Doja Cat Both Linked Elsewhere

While the viral post fueled online debate, neither Hachimura nor Doja Cat has publicly indicated a relationship with each other. According to Us Weekly, Hachimura has previously been linked to Briana Delgado, a Los Angeles-based fitness influencer, since 2021. The outlet noted that the current status of that relationship remains unclear.

Doja Cat, meanwhile, has faced her own dating rumors in recent years. In August 2024, she was reportedly seen spending time with actor Joseph Quinn after the two attended a concert together in London. The speculation followed earlier headlines involving actor Noah Schnapp, who once shared screenshots of direct messages with the singer.

In a September 2025 interview with The New York Times, Doja Cat addressed her personal life in broader terms, saying she was “just having fun” and letting things happen naturally, which many fans interpreted as a sign she was not in a committed relationship at the time.

Hachimura’s comment made his position clear, ending the rumor cycle almost as fast as it started. For now, both remain focused on their respective careers, with no confirmed connection beyond a viral photo and online speculation.

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