Yuki Kawamura sees action against Magic,紳士 向け but he's still seeking his first NBA points

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

October 27, 2024 at 17:20 JST

• Share
• Tweet list

• Print

Memphis Grizzlies guard Yuki Kawamura handles the ball in the second half of an NBA basketball game on Oct. 26 in Memphis, Tenn. (AP Photo/Brandon Dill)

MEMPHIS, Tenn.--With the Grizzlies comfortably ahead of the Orlando Magic, the calls for Japanese reserve Yuki Kawamura grew louder and louder.

“We want Yuki. We want Yuki,” the Memphis faithful screamed.

With just over two minutes left, and the Grizzlies comfortably on their way to a 124-111 victory Saturday night, Memphis coach Taylor Jenkins sent Kawamura to the scorer's table as the crowd and his teammates yelled with delight.

"It was a special moment," Kawamura said with a big smile after the game. “I love it.”

The Grizzlies signed Kawamura to two-way deal earlier this month after the preseason finale. Kawamura earned the deal after playing in all five preseason games coming off the bench and averaging 3.4 points and 4.2 assists per game. He played the past five seasons in the Japanese B.League and was the 2022-23 Most Valuable Player with the Yokohama B-Corsairs.

His 5-foot-8 stature and electric smile have made him an immediate crowd favorite. In his two minutes against the Magic, he missed both 3-point attempts — with a lot of encouragement from just about everyone in the arena — and had a turnover. He has appeared in two games, but still hasn't scored his first points in the NBA.

“I told him, he got to score his points,” Memphis guard Ja Morant said. “You know, he’s a tremendous passer, but man, he got to get his name in the paper. So my message today was: ‘If you get it, shoot it.’”

Kawamura is the second Japanese player in Grizzlies’ history, joining Yuta Watanabe who played 38 games for the Grizzlies during his initial stint between 2018-19 to 2019-20. Watanabe returned to Memphis and played five games during the 2023-24 season.

“It was so amazing,” Kawamura said. “Great team win, but I could have done more. I keep working hard every day.”

• ·「ケロロ軍曹」×サンリオ、ポップアップショップ開催 けろっぴがケロロになりきる
• ·映画「ふれる。」に「あの花」めんま役の茅野愛衣ら“青春三部作”キャスト9人出演
• ·【動画】赤星優志、泉圭輔ら投手陣がダッシュ
• ·【阪神】大山悠輔の適時打で先取点　１５年以来の甲子園９連勝へ好発進
• ·天候一変！釣果も一変！仏谷のイカダでチヌ２０尾…福井・仏谷「大住渡船」報知FC
• ·宇多田ヒカル、約２６万人動員の６年ぶり全国ツアーを完走「お祝いとお疲れ様を言いたい」
• ·【西武】元山飛優が逆転サヨナラ二塁打「侑司さんのためにも勝ちたかった」
• ·ＷＥＳＴ．、ナインティナインとコラボステージ　矢部浩之「５０歳過ぎて最高の思い出になりました」
• ·パイロットフィルムの映画祭が12月に渋谷で、パイロット版「童夢」など20作上映
• ·アニメ「神之塔」に中原麻衣＆鳥海浩輔、10月6日に「工房戦」の先行上映会を開催
• ·アニメ「神之塔」に中原麻衣＆鳥海浩輔、10月6日に「工房戦」の先行上映会を開催
• ·【オリックス】大逆転ＣＳへ鮮やか逆転４連勝　３位・ロッテに５・５差
• ·困るほど愛してくる年下男子とのハピネスラブコメ「十九川くんが困らせてくる！」
• ·【阪神】大山悠輔の適時打で先取点　１５年以来の甲子園９連勝へ好発進
• ·【ボートレース】馬場貴也がまくり差しでメモリアル連覇達成！…まるがめ・メモリアル
• ·やす子、「２４時間テレビ」マラソンゴールで涙も「雅紀さんが『右足の次、左足』って、ずっと言っていて涙が…」