When Yuki Kawamura first came to the NBA, he joined a Memphis Grizzlies team that had vibes that would rival any team in NBA history. The basketball was joyous. The core four of Ja Morant, Desmond Bane, Jaren Jackson Jr., and Dillon Brooks were playing well together and stunting on the cover of SLAM Magazine in their spare time, full of life.
And then there was Yuki. The diminutive guard played sparingly, yet the Grizzlies faithful immediately grew to love him. From clips of Morant teaching him local slang to the behind-the-back passes he threw during garbage time, there was something for every fan.
As the Grizzlies' vibes fell apart during Kawamura's single season there, he kept smiling.
That's always just been what Yuki does. He is an overwhelming presence of positivity in the face of disaster. He is the basketball equivalent of a home-cooked meal after a long day. He is all that and more. And now he's back to do it for his third team.
Yuki Kawamura is impressing the Pacers
It seems like the same thing has happened immediately in Indiana.
When a renowned grump like Rick Carlisle is saying the things he is, it's safe to say he's got the whole team in his corner. In Carlisle's words, “he’s an easy guy to like… He’s seeing things before they happen. He goes hard.”
Against the Philadelphia 76ers on July 11th, Kawamura played 19 minutes, scoring 12 points, while finishing with a plus/minus of +3 in a seven-point loss. Following that game, Carlisle compared Yuki to his core veteran group during an ESPN broadcast as a guest speaker.
That's a big compliment when that comparison includes Obi Toppin, Pascal Siakam, and TJ McConnell.
Future outlook
The 5'7 point guard likely won't earn a roster spot, as the Pacers only have one remaining, but he is certainly keeping the energy going.
Indiana's summer league team now sits at 1-2, meaning they will miss the playoffs and play only one more game. After that, Yuki's time with the Pacers will likely come to a close, but there's a chance he could get a two-way spot or some run in the G-League.
While there have been some shining success stories during summer league, it's sad it has to end this way. The Pacers lacked a ton of real NBA talent on their squad. With the fifth overall pick heading out to LA as part of the Zubac trade, that was always going to be the case.
Still, it's rare that Summer League carries this much... fun. This is special, even if it means nothing. Basketball is, ultimately, meant to be enjoyable, and few people are better at that than Yuki.
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