Following Yuta Watanabe's departure from the Memphis Grizzlies before he returned to play for a Japanese club, another Japanese player has since joined the Grizzlies.
Basketball fans in Japan have been closely following Yuki Kawamura's career, and on Tuesday, he took a monumental step toward his dream of playing in the NBA by signing a two-way contract with the Memphis Grizzlies. He is 23 years old and the fourth Japanese player to enter the league, the first to come from Japan's domestic B-League.
A Road to NBA Glory
The Kawamura deal would see the Japanese basketball player spend some time with the Memphis Grizzlies and their G-League affiliate. According to FootBoom, this move gives him ample playing time as he continues to develop while only having a handful of NBA games. He follows in the footsteps of his fellow Japanese compatriot Yuta Watanabe who began his professional career on a two-way deal with the Memphis Grizzlies.
Six seasons passed for Watanabe in the NBA, after which he returned to Japan to play in the B-League for the Chiba Jets.
Determined to tread in the footsteps of Watanabe, Kawamura declared recently, "I will continue working hard every day to stand on the NBA court and contribute to the team's victories."
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Sweat and Tears Are All Worth it
At 173 centimeters, or 5'8", Kawamura would be one of the league's shortest players. That hasn't stopped him yet, though. A B-League MVP for the 2022-23 season, Kawamura was impressive during Grizzlies' preseason and his two-way contract rewarded him after a stunner in all five games.
"I'm just getting started and there are still many challenges ahead," Kawamura wrote on Instagram.
He also made history and won international acclaim when he tallied an impressive 29 points against host nation France at the Paris Olympics, pushing the game into overtime.
NBA Will Be a Tough Test For Kawamura
Once his contract is finalized, Kawamura will be one of 14 players committed to guaranteed deals with the Memphis Grizzlies, according to Hoops Rumors. This signing gives the much-needed depth to the roster as the team solidifies its lineup for the regular season ahead.
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