Despite his small stature (5’8″), Yuki Kawamura’s titanic spirit was evident the instant he entered the FedExForum locker room.
In the eyes of Memphis superstar Ja Morant, the legendary Japanese point guard has always been more than just a teammate.
His brother-in-arms Morant delivered Kawamura a memorable farewell message that encapsulated their friendship as he begins the next phase of his adventure in July in Las Vegas.
Ja Morant Bids Adieu to Yuki Kawamura as He Chases NBA Dream
Kawamura became a free agent after a 2024–25 season in which he played in the G League and saw limited action in the NBA.
Over the course of 22 games played for Memphis, he averaged 4.2 minutes per game and 1.6 points per game.
He was selected to the NBA G League Next Up Game after exploding for 12.4 points and 7.8 assists in 24 games with the Memphis Hustle.
While Kawamura was becoming a fan favourite and displaying moments of brilliance while wearing the Grizzlies uniform, he also secured a spot on the Chicago Bulls’ Summer League roster, which is set to begin in Las Vegas on July 10.
That chance to land a full-scale NBA deal isn’t the only thing that opportunity means to Kawamura.
It’s an opportunity to highlight the intangibles that brought joy to his Grizzlies colleagues and nourished an international fan base.
Late on July 3, Morant distilled that moment of transition into three simple words.
Posting on X, he wrote, “yukiX12 dont die.”
Internationally, Kawamura has donned the Japanese jersey at both the 2023 FIBA World Cup and the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
He spent the last five campaigns (2019-24) dominating Japan’s B.League.
This earned him the league MVP honors in 2022-23, after starting all 56 games for Yokohama and averaging 20.9 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 8.0 assists over 30.6 minutes per outing.
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