Yuki Kawamura has to be one of the most beloved players in the league, despite being the 11th or 12th man on the Memphis Grizzlies. Yuki Kawamura fans cheer for him in every arena, whether that is in Memphis or on the road.
The Yuki Kawamura Craze is Real
During last night’s game against the Portland Trail Blazers, Grizzlies fans started chanting “We want Yuki” with six minutes left in the game. They had to wait a bit more to see the Japanese player in action.
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With something over three minutes left in the game, Yuki checked in, to which the crowd responded with a louder roar than when Ja Morant threw a thunderous dunk in the first half.
The cameras caught a couple of Japanese fans in the stands. One, in particular, showed a devotion you rarely see in a low-profile player in the NBA. While some fans travel the world to see players like LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Steph Curry, and similar, this one traveled for Yuki.
He was holding a sign saying, “Went from London to Memphis, 5.200 miles to watch Yuki play.” If that is not special devotion, what is?
Yuki spent almost four minutes on the floor, dished one assist, missed one 3-point attempt, and finished -1 for the game.
Yuki is Beloved Across the League
There are Yuki Kawamura fans across the league. They chant for him in every arena when he is on the roster. Fans in Washington went crazy after an unbelievable assist.
And fans in Portland chanted “We want Yuki” as loud as those in Memphis. There is no denying that fans want to see Yuki play. He might not get as many minutes as fans would love, but the Memphis Grizzlies surely made a great decision to sign Yuki. Their popularity as a team skyrocketed with Yuki on the roster.
The Japanese Connection
Yuki Kawamura is the fourth Japanese player to make it to the NBA. At the moment, the other Japanese star in the NBA is not getting the same treatment, despite playing for the Lakers. Fans do not chant “We want Rui” for sure.
Rui Hachimura and Yuki had a special moment several days ago. They posed for a photograph at half-court before the game between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Memphis Grizzlies. Following the game, Rui was asked about his fellow countryman. He replied,
“Yuki was coming up, he made it to the NBA and I am so happy for him. He is a great character and a great player, and he just has to earn his minutes and show what he can do. Yes, he is small, but he has a big heart. I like him, I’ve played with him, and I am happy for him and hopefully, he is going to make it all. One day, we maybe can be teammates.”
For now, Yuki splits his time between the Memphis Hustle, the team’s G-league affiliate, and the main roster. In his last game for the Hustle, he had 15 points and 16 assists.
