Memphis Grizzlies rookie Yuki Kawamura is in his first season in the NBA, but he isn’t doing it alone. The 23-year-old guard, who arrived in the United States from Japan on a two-way contract, has found a mentor and a big brother in Grizzlies star Ja Morant.
In an interview with CNN’s international correspondent Hanako Montgomery, Kawamura described his bond with Morant. The Japanese star shared how the All-Star guard has been a guiding presence both on and off the courtesy .
“Ja Morant is like a big brother. He teaches me basketball skills and English. Sometimes he teaches me bad slang,” Kawamura said.
Hearing Yuki say “type s—t” will make your day 😂
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(via @HanakoMontgome1) pic.twitter.com/UdgAI3wSGk
When Montgomery pressed him on what kind of English Morant has been teaching, Kawamura hesitated before sharing the NSFW word he learned from Morant.
“I’m not sure if you can use this. But things like ‘type s***,” he added.
Ja Morant’s Daughter Becomes Yuki Kawamura’s Biggest Cheerleader
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Beyond Ja Morant’s mentorship, Kawamura has found another unexpected source of encouragement in Ja Morant’s daughter, Kaari. At a recent G League game, Kaari was seen holding up a Yuki Kawamura poster, cheering loudly for her father’s teammate. After the game, Kawamura made sure to acknowledge her support.
“I love it. She brings the energy every G League game and NBA game,” Kawamura said.
Despite limited playing time with the Grizzlies, appearing in 20 games and averaging 3.2 minutes with 1.2 points per contest, Kawamura has been making an impact in the G League. There, he has put up 12.4 points and 8.6 assists per game.
