What Japanese point guard Yuki Kawamura has done to impress Memphis Grizzlies teammates
It was time for Yuki Kawamura to make his first impression.
The recently signed Memphis Grizzlies point guard is on an Exhibit 10 deal. About a week before the start of preseason training camp, his new teammates invited him to an open run.
On Kawamura’s first possession, the 5-foot-8 point guard went at 7-4 Zach Edey, the tallest player in the NBA.
“He was just driving straight at me, like first possession,” Edey said. “He plays bigger than he is. He drives in the paint, he’s trying to make plays, he’s trying to get to the rim. He’s really good.”
Kawamura, 23, joined the Grizzlies after playing with the Yokohama B-Corsairs, a Japanese professional team. While in Japan, he was named MVP and Rookie of the Year in the 2022-23 season.
His success led to an opportunity in Memphis that is open-ended. The Grizzlies have roster spots, but current contracted two-way players like Scotty Pippen Jr. are likely to get first dibs. If that were to happen, Memphis would have an open two-way slot that coach Taylor Jenkins said Kawamura “maybe” could have a shot at securing.
“It’s open competition,” Jenkins said.
“So far, so good,” Kawamura said. “I’m super excited to play in here. Good experience for me. I have to get better every single day. Happy to be here.”
Popular in Memphis, too
Kawamura is one of the most popular professional basketball players from Japan. Former Grizzlies wing Yuta Watanabe and current Los Angeles Lakers forward Rui Hachimura were the only two Japanese players in the NBA last season. Kawamura played in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and 2023 World Cup for his native country. His fan fare and appeal has traveled more than 6,000 miles to Memphis.
During Grizzlies practices in Nashville last week, multiple media members traveled from Japan to interview Kawamura after each practice. His teammates have even taken it upon themselves to look into the hype.
“I looked up on his Instagram and he’s got about 600,000 followers, so he’s pretty famous,” Jake LaRavia said. “He’s pretty well known.”
Heart over height
The Grizzlies have the NBA’s tallest player in Edey, and now they have the shortest in Kawamura. Still, according to his teammates, don’t sell the point guard short.
Ja Morant complimented Kawamura’s fearlessness. Not too many guards take on the challenge and pick up the lightning-fast Morant full-court defensively, but Kawamura is doing just that.
Former NBA player Muggsy Bogues was listed at 5-3 during his career. He often used the phrase “heart over height,” and in a way, that’s how the Grizzlies have categorized Kawamura.
“Regardless of what his size is, that’s not going to stop his heart from going out there and competing full court and trying to be a disruptor,” Jenkins said.
Maybe the best example of Kawamura’s heart over height mentality came in the team’s third and final practice in Nashville. Grizzlies players had already become accustomed to Kawamura’s pesky defense and passing skills, but he had one more trick in his bag.
According to his teammates,, Kawamura led the Grizzlies in offensive rebounding in practice.
“He’s fierce, he’s a competitor and he loves the game of basketball,” Luke Kennard said. “I like what I’ve seen from him for sure. He’s talented. He’s going to make a lot of money playing the game.”
Damichael Cole is the Memphis Grizzlies beat writer for The Commercial Appeal. Contact Damichael at damichael.cole@commercialappeal.com. Follow Damichael on X, formerly known as Twitter, @DamichaelC.
This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: Japanese rookie Yuki Kawamura popular with Memphis Grizzlies teammates
