Although the Josh Giddey situation remains in flux, and they continue to express interest in restricted free agent Jonathan Kuminga of the Golden State Warriors, the Chicago Bulls have made a move to fill out one of their two-way roster spots. A press release yesterday indicated that the team has signed 5’8 Japanese point guard Yuki Kawamura to a two-way contract, securing the services of the only current NBA player to stand less than six feet tall.
Bulls Seeking A Feisty Floor General
Kawamura was most recently with the Memphis Grizzlies, with whom he had spent the whole of the 2024-25 season on another two-way deal. He appeared in 22 games for the Grizzlies last season, and was able to record 36 points and 19 assists in 93 minutes of action, while averaging 12.7 points and 8.4 assists per game down in the G League with their affiliate team, the Memphis Hustle.
The Bulls initially had signed Kawamura only to their summer league team, yet in the ongoing Vegas Summer League, he has seemingly done enough to win a spot. Despite the high turnover numbers that are almost inevitable amid the disjointed nature of summer league basketball, Kawamura has passed for 6.6 assists per game among all the dysfunction, showing a true point guard’s game that has never truly gone out of fashion.
As with all 5’8 players, Kawamura’s path to success relies upon his skills with the ball. A willing runner and passer, the Bulls have seen first-hand in summer league Yuki’s dynamicism, unselfishness, solid shooting and offensive aggression, and will be hoping to find that his size deficiencies can be overcome through sheer potency on the ball.
Japanese Basketball On The Rise
This is a period of strong growth for Japanese basketball. The Asian nation put together a 3-2 record at the most recent FIBA World Cup, their best-ever performance in the competition, and after a 44-year absence, they have qualified for each of the last two Olympic Games. In fact, were it not for a miraculous four-point play, they would have beaten the mighty France.
In signing a new NBA contract, Kawamura has once again ensured that there are two Japanese players in the NBA, with the other being Rui Hachimura of the Los Angeles Lakers. For context, more fabled basketball powerhouses such as Greece and Spain fair no better; Greece have only one current NBA player in the form of Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks, while Spain equals Japan with two through Santi Aldama of the Grizzlies and Hugo Gonzalez of the Boston Celtics. (Unless you want to count Zaccharie Risacher.)
In a companion move, the Bulls waived Jahmir Young off of his two-way deal, leaving Kawamura, holdover Emmanuel Miller and 2025 second-round draft pick Lachlan Olbrich as their current projected two-way players. Young had been with the Bulls since February, when he signed his two-way deal after a strong 22.4 point/7.4 assist per game run in the G League with the Denver Nuggets’ affiliate Grand Rapids Gold, yet in playing the same position as Kawamura, the Bulls clearly felt there was no need for both. Kawamura is six inches shorter than Young and not nearly the half-court individual scoring talent, but in being a year younger, internationally experienced and more fun, it is now his turn to get the longer audition.
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