Meet Yuki Kawamura, the NBA's Short King
Yuki Kawamura’s Japan Team Photo
Yukimania is taking over the NBA world! If you don't know what we're talking about, let us introduce you to the league's newest sensation: the Grizzlies point guard Yuki Kawamura. The Japanese star has recently joined the ranks of the Memphis team after starting his career in his home country. The point guard has been making headlines recently for his quickness and agility on the court, executing creative plays in every game. But his ultimate skills aren't the only topic of conversation around him, as it turns out Yuki is currently the shortest player in the league, standing tall at 5 '8".
In a sport where stature is one of the more valued attributes, Yuki has quickly proven himself by showing the world that his height is just a number, not an obstacle in his gameplay. He began his basketball career playing for his high school's team in Japan, where he quickly caught the attention of the local squads. Not long after, he moved on to play for the Yokohama B-Corsairs in the B.League, Japan's professional basketball league.
Born in 2001, he was 16 when he first represented his country in the U-16 Men's Asian Championship, where the Japanese team came in 6th place. Instead of feeling defeated by a height disadvantage, Yuki took it as a confidence boost that made him realize he could outperform them through his speed. When his squad was eventually disqualified, his desire to continue taking over international stages grew stronger, stating, "I want to challenge the world."
Eventually, he dropped out of university to focus solely on pursuing a career in the sport, motivated to follow his true calling. "I grew up to be a basketball player representing Japan, I want to go."
So off he went, participating in both the U16 Asia Cup and U18 Asia Cup in 2018. The last step in his international path was to join the senior team, which he did so during the Asia Cup 2022.
After reaching the national team, the next goal was making the cut for Paris 2024, as the Olympics represent one of the biggest stages in representing your nation.
“Even though I do not have a size, I want to carry Japan on my back to play at the world stage.”
Yuki fulfilled his promise and lived up to these words by giving stellar exhibitions throughout the Games, including a 29-point iconic performance against France that almost saw the host team fall against the Nippon squad.
Yuki had already been on the radar for quite some time, but Paris 2024 was the last step to catapult him into international recognition and piquing the Memphis Grizzlies' interest. He joined the team over the summer through an Exhibit-10 contract–a minimum-wage, one-year noncommittal agreement–to see if he could become a permanent team member. After a fantastic run during training camp, the team upgraded his contract to a 2-way deal, in which he's allowed to play both in the main league and the G League, thus helping him to continue developing his skills while adapting to the league more seamlessly.
Yuki playing for the Memphis Grizzlies (Getty Images)
From the results he's been having, it's clear it won't take him too long to become an essential part of the team; he's already beloved by the Grizzlies crowds, who eagerly chant for him to step in whenever he's on the sidelines. His main attributes are speed and agility, making him the perfect fit for a point guard position. These translate into his impressive no-look passes, the speed with which he moves smoothly through his opponents, and the precision he has to shoot from anywhere he's standing, showing why the Yukimania is only getting started!