For Memphis Grizzlies’ Yuki Kawamura, his recent game point was not any other point a player could make—it was his first point in his NBA career. With the hype and the build-up surrounding it, the celebration as he made his first bucket resonated with fans and teammates could not be any more exciting.
While their win was secured during the last minutes of the game, that did not mean that Kawamura’s shot was any less significant. The Japanese rookie has appeared in six games of the Grizzlies so far, but has yet to make his first point in the NBA.
Less than a minute left into the game, Yuki Kawamura was guarded by Bronny James Jr when a foul was called, giving the Japanese phenom a free throw chance. Yuki made both shots, earning him his first two points ever in the Association.
The crowd went wild, and fellow Memphis Ja Morant , who was then out of the game due to an injury, even took to social media how Yuki’s first basket made him wild. Yuki responded with a single emoji, that also prompted congratulatory messages from Japanese fans.
Yuki Kawamura Gets Grizzliues-Lakers Game Ball
The game between the Grizzlies adn the lakers ended with a Mephis win, with a final score of 131-114. Yuki got the game ball, which was then signed by his teammates.
“It was a special moment,” Kawamura said. “I would like to thank everyone who’s involved with the Memphis Grizzlies organization. I couldn’t have done it without them. Grizzlies fans, my teammates, my coaching staff, everyone, I want to thank.”
“We’re all really happy for him,” center Jay Huff said. “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. For him to get those, I think it’s really great. I was hoping the fadeaway would’ve fallen, but any way you can get your first NBA points, it’s awesome. We’re proud of him.”
The relationship between Yuki Kawamura and Ja Morant has been an interesting one so far. On one hand, Morant has been a recognized NBA superstar and on the other is Yuki being a rookie in the league. Morant cited english being their second language as a common link. Their teammates describe their dynamic as “funnny,” among other words, and they always seem like “two buddies.”
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Dan has been active in sports since 2016 and has worked behind the scenes as a scriptwriter for basketball, volleyball, and other sports. At a time, Dan has also been working as a sports commentator for CBA Pilipinas. During the pandemic, he has also been actively writing betting articles for CashBet and BetNow.
