The popularity of Yuki Kawamura in both the NBA G League and the NBA is connected to his dynamic playmaking skills. It's also true that the 172-cm Japanese point guard quickly became basketball's version of a cult hero in his first few weeks in NBA-linked competitions.
After all, it's fun to root for the shortest player in the NBA, a circuit with a plethora of 2-meter tall giants.
Evidence of Kawamura's immense popularity on both sides of the Pacific Ocean was provided when fans recently chose him as the top vote-getter for the NBA G League Up Next Game on February 16 in Salt Lake City. An announcement was made on Thursday, January 30. The exhibition showcase will be held during NBA All-Star Weekend.
Thirty players, including rookie guard Keisei Tominaga of the Indiana Mad Ants, will be divided into four teams for the Up Next Game.
In his first 12 appearances for the Memphis Hustle, Kawamura averaged 15.2 points, 9.2 assists and 1.4 steals while logging 33.9 minutes per contest. The former Yokohama B-Corsairs standout demonstrated his scoring ability with a banner 23-point effort against the Oklahoma City Blue on Wednesday, January 29. He had 21 points in the third quarter and finished with seven assists. Kawamura's 7-for-10 effort from 3-point range highlighted his dynamic performance.
In another display of Kawamura's high-level skills on offense, he handed out a season-best 16 assists against the Osceola Magic on November 20, 2024.
Making Adjustments During the Season
Kawamura, who is on a two-way contract enabling him to play for the Hustle and the NBA's Memphis Grizzlies, has also appeared in 17 games for the Grizzlies. It's a valuable experience for Kawamura as he continues to make his mark in North American pro hoops.
He's averaging 1.4 points and 0.7 assists in the NBA.
Kawamura is not set in his ways. He's willing to make adjustments and adapt to different coaching and playing tactics. That will help him, of course, to have a greater sense of how to succeed in different game situations.
In a recent article on The Sporting News' Japanese-language website, Kawamura highlighted his evolving shooting mechanics this season.
"Since my body is still not completely accustomed to it, I sometimes end up shooting the ball in the air," Kawamura said, according to the website. "And I don't think [my basketball career] is firmly established yet, but it is definitely moving in the right direction. So in that sense, I think I am getting a really good sense of how to play basketball."
Kawamura appreciates the support of fans, including children who attend games and cheer for him.
He cited a specific example of this after the January 29 game.
"I didn't hear much during the game, but when I came back to the bench, I heard 'Yuki! Yuki!' behind me," Kawamura said, according to The Sporting News.
He added, "I think I was able to play with the children's cheering, turning it into strength."
Teammates Root with Enthusiasm for Yuki Kawamura
Scoring one basket (or even a pair of free throws), and giving a team either two or three points, is not a big deal in the grand scheme of things. It's easy to forget nearly every shot that sails through the net.
But when Kawamura scored his first points in an NBA regular-season game, it was a source of pride for the Grizzlies that his teammates also celebrated.
When it happened on November 6, 2024, Kawamura sank two foul shots late in the fourth quarter of a blowout victory over the Los Angeles Lakers.
And his teammates spoke with excitement about it after the game.
"We're all really happy for him," Grizzlies center Jay Huff said, according to the Memphis Commercial Appeal. "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."
Two months later, the buzz about Kawamura's skills is interlinked with his huge social media presence. Just a reminder that he's just 23 years old, but has 919,000 followers on Instagram and another 213,000 on X (formerly Twitter).
Games like his 24-point, 14-assist, six-steal performance on January 20 against the G League's Texas Legends will continue to ignite his popularity.
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- [ODDS and EVENS] Yuki Kawamura Treasures First NBA Career Points
- [JAPAN SPORTS NOTEBOOK] Yuki Kawamura Vying For a Roster Spot on the Memphis Grizzlies
Speed Skating
Takagi Claims National Record 35th World Cup Victory
Three-time Olympian Miho Takagi triumphed in the women's 1,000 meters in an ISU World Cup Speed Skating meet in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on Friday, January 31.
Takagi was clocked in 1 minute, 13.56 seconds in the American city to claim her 35th World Cup event win, breaking the Japanese national record. She was previously tied for most wins with Hiroyasu Shimizu and Nao Kodaira.
After achieving her latest World Cup win, Takagi reflected on her journey as an elite-level athlete.
"Looking back, it's taken me a good number of years to get here," Takagi, the reigning Olympic women's champion in the 1,000, was quoted as saying by Kyodo News. "The experience has served me well."
Olympics
IOC Presidential Candidate Submits Name Change for the Organization
Morinari Watanabe, one of seven candidates in the running to become the next president of the International Olympic Committee, has proposed renaming the global sports governing body.
In Watanabe's idea presented to reporters on Thursday, January 30, he made a push for a new name ― World Sports Organization.
The 65-year-old president of the International Gymnastics Federation explained why he advocates for a new identity for the IOC. Watanabe said his proposed rebranding emphasizes that the global organization is "not only for the Olympic Games, we must contribute to the society," Kyodo News reported.
The new IOC president, who will replace departing executive Thomas Bach, will be chosen on March 20.
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Track and Field
Ethiopia's Edesa Triumphs in the Osaka Women's Marathon
Workenesh Edesa, a 32-year-old Ethiopian, repeated as Osaka Women's Marathon champion on Sunday, January 26.
Edesa reached the finish line in 2 hours, 21 minutes at Yanmar Stadium Nagai.
"I am happy to defend the title from 2024," Edesa told reporters after the race. "It was a good race, but the wind prevented me from running a faster time. I want to win the World Championships in Tokyo. [And] I also want to run in Osaka next year, this time with a faster time."
In January 2024, Edesa completed the race in 2:18:51.
On Sunday, Japan's Kana Kobayashi and Yuka Suzuki placed second and third, respectively. Kobayashi earned the runner-up spot with a personal-best time of 2:21:19.
Suzuki also had a PB time in Osaka, reaching the finish line in 2:21:33.
After the race, Kobayashi said she was pleased to achieve her goal of earning a spot on Japan's marathon squad for the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo. The global extravaganza is set for September 13-21.
"My goal was to clinch the World Championships marathon team berth by running 2:23," Kobayashi said, according to the World Athletics website. "I am surprised to perform this well. Fans along the route encouraged me by saying the leaders were slowing down, which gave me the power to push on."
Baseball
Ohtani Lends Support to LA Firefighters
Superstar Shohei Ohtani and Los Angeles Dodgers teammates Emmet Sheehan and Ben Casparius visited a fire station in Pacific Palisades in Los Angeles on Thursday, January 30. By appearing at Fire Station 69 in the wildfire-ravaged community, Ohtani and the other Dodgers offered encouragement and moral support to firefighters and the community.
Wearing their Dodgers uniforms, the MLB players also posed for pictures with the firefighters.
Ohtani has previously pledged to donate $500,000 USD (about ¥78 million JPY) to assist firefighters and animals forced to leave the community due to the disaster.
Two days later, Ohtani gave his 2024 National League MVP acceptance speech, which he made in tribute to Los Angeles, first responders and firefighters, local media reported.
ABC7 Eyewitness News, a TV network in Los Angeles said Ohtani concluded his speech with words of encouragement to those impacted by the wildfires.
"Stay strong and united. We will get through this," Ohtani said.
Table Tennis
Olympic Medalist Niwa Fired Over Alleged Gambling
Koki Niwa, who captured a bronze medal as a member of the Japan men's table tennis team at the 2020 Tokyo Games, was dismissed from his club team on Thursday, January 30.
Niwa has been under investigation for gambling via an overseas online casino, according to published reports.
The 30-year-old was let go by the Okayama Rivets, who compete in Japan's professional T.League.
Kyodo News reported that Niwa wagered on roulette and overseas sports.
Chiba Prefectural Police spoke to Niwa during "voluntary questioning," according to Kyodo News, and he also informed the Rivets "none [of the betting] involved T.League matches."
Boxing
Teraji, Akui to Meet in Flyweight Title Unification Match
WBC flyweight champion Kenshiro Teraji and WBA title holder Seigo Yuri Akui are set to put their titles on the line in a March 13 fight at Ryogoku Kokugikan in Tokyo.
The flyweight unification bout was announced on Monday, January 27.
Teraji (24-1, 15 knockouts) became the WBC champion with an 11th-round TKO of Nicaraguan Cristofer Rosales in October 2024. The fight took place at Ariake Arena in the Japanese capital.
Akui became the WBA titlist in January 2024, beating Artem Dalakian in a 12-round unanimous decision. He went on to win two title defenses that year. The 29-year-old Akui is 21-2-1 with 11 KOs in his pro career.
As he continues to prepare for the fight, Teraji told reporters he appreciates this upcoming opportunity.
"I am grateful to be able to compete on such a big stage as the main event again," Teraji said, according to PR Times.
"He added, "I am also very happy to be able to fight in the unification match, and I hope to win here with the aim of unifying the four organizations."
Teraji, 33, described Akui as "a strong fighter" and said he's been making thorough preparations for their title showdown.
"I have been training a lot in terms of physical strength and stamina," the Kyoto Prefecture native told reporters. "So I want to make sure that I can be the better fighter with both hands and punches."
Inoue vs Kim Fight Talk
In other boxing items of interest, I hosted an X (formerly Twitter) Spaces conversation with SportsLook reporter Colin Morrison on Friday, January 31. We analyzed the Naoya-Inoue-Ye Joon Kim super bantamweight title fight, which was held on January 24 in Tokyo.
Quote of the Week
"This is the most meaningful award for me. There are many people who dedicate themselves to making the world a better place for children. I believe this award is not just for me, but for everyone who has contributed to these efforts."
―Baseball legend Sadaharu Oh after receiving the Japan Sports Science Grand Prize at a ceremony on January 25 in Tokyo. Oh was honored for his "long-standing dedication, including visiting children's welfare facilities during his professional baseball career and organizing the World Children's Baseball Foundation (WCBF) for over 30 years, providing children with opportunities for international exchange through baseball," according to the World Children's Baseball Foundation.
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Author: Ed Odeven
Find Ed on JAPAN Forward's dedicated website, SportsLook. Follow his [Japan Sports Notebook] on Sundays, [Odds and Evens] during the week, and X (formerly Twitter) ＠ed_odeven.
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