[JAPAN SPORTS NOTEBOOK] Yuki Kawamura Selected to Play in NBA G League Up Next Game

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The popularity of Yuki Kawamura in both the NBA G League and the NBA is connected to his dynamic playmaking skills. It's also true that the 172-cm Japanese point guard quickly became basketball's version of a cult hero in his first few weeks in NBA-linked competitions.

After all, it's fun to root for the shortest player in the NBA, a circuit with a plethora of 2-meter tall giants.

Evidence of Kawamura's immense popularity on both sides of the Pacific Ocean was provided when fans recently chose him as the top vote-getter for the NBA G League Up Next Game on February 16 in Salt Lake City. An announcement was made on Thursday, January 30. The exhibition showcase will be held during NBA All-Star Weekend.

Thirty players, including rookie guard Keisei Tominaga of the Indiana Mad Ants, will be divided into four teams for the Up Next Game.

In his first 12 appearances for the Memphis Hustle, Kawamura averaged 15.2 points, 9.2 assists and 1.4 steals while logging 33.9 minutes per contest. The former Yokohama B-Corsairs standout demonstrated his scoring ability with a banner 23-point effort against the Oklahoma City Blue on Wednesday, January 29. He had 21 points in the third quarter and finished with seven assists. Kawamura's 7-for-10 effort from 3-point range highlighted his dynamic performance.

In another display of Kawamura's high-level skills on offense, he handed out a season-best 16 assists against the Osceola Magic on November 20, 2024.

Making Adjustments During the Season

Kawamura, who is on a two-way contract enabling him to play for the Hustle and the NBA's Memphis Grizzlies, has also appeared in 17 games for the Grizzlies. It's a valuable experience for Kawamura as he continues to make his mark in North American pro hoops. 

He's averaging 1.4 points and 0.7 assists in the NBA.

Kawamura is not set in his ways. He's willing to make adjustments and adapt to different coaching and playing tactics. That will help him, of course, to have a greater sense of how to succeed in different game situations.

In a recent article on The Sporting News' Japanese-language website, Kawamura highlighted his evolving shooting mechanics this season.

"Since my body is still not completely accustomed to it, I sometimes end up shooting the ball in the air," Kawamura said, according to the website. "And I don't think [my basketball career] is firmly established yet, but it is definitely moving in the right direction. So in that sense, I think I am getting a really good sense of how to play basketball."

Kawamura appreciates the support of fans, including children who attend games and cheer for him.

He cited a specific example of this after the January 29 game.

"I didn't hear much during the game, but when I came back to the bench, I heard 'Yuki! Yuki!' behind me," Kawamura said, according to The Sporting News.

He added, "I think I was able to play with the children's cheering, turning it into strength."

Teammates Root with Enthusiasm for Yuki Kawamura 

Scoring one basket (or even a pair of free throws), and giving a team either two or three points, is not a big deal in the grand scheme of things. It's easy to forget nearly every shot that sails through the net. 

But when Kawamura scored his first points in an NBA regular-season game, it was a source of pride for the Grizzlies that his teammates also celebrated.

When it happened on November 6, 2024, Kawamura sank two foul shots late in the fourth quarter of a blowout victory over the Los Angeles Lakers.

And his teammates spoke with excitement about it after the game.

"We're all really happy for him," Grizzlies center Jay Huff said, according to the Memphis Commercial Appeal. "That's just such a great feeling. I remember when I got the game ball after scoring my first points. It was a really cool souvenir. I held on to it for probably the whole 24 hours, it felt like." 

Two months later, the buzz about Kawamura's skills is interlinked with his huge social media presence. Just a reminder that he's just 23 years old, but has 919,000 followers on Instagram and another 213,000 on X (formerly Twitter).

Games like his 24-point, 14-assist, six-steal performance on January 20 against the G League's Texas Legends will continue to ignite his popularity.

Continue reading the full story, which includes news items on speed skating, baseball and more, on SportsLook.

RELATED:

• [ODDS and EVENS] Yuki Kawamura Treasures First NBA Career Points
• [JAPAN SPORTS NOTEBOOK] Yuki Kawamura Vying For a Roster Spot on the Memphis Grizzlies

Author: Ed Odeven

Find Ed on JAPAN Forward's dedicated website, SportsLook. Follow his [Japan Sports Notebook] on Sundays, [Odds and Evens] during the week, and X (formerly Twitter) ＠ed_odeven.