Yuki Kawamura Deserves Hype After His Chicago Bulls Debut

Yuki Kawamura always deserves the hype. When duties fall on the 5-foot-8 Japanese guard's shoulders, he responds by vanishing doubts.

When Kawamura checked in for his Chicago Bulls debut Saturday night during the second quarter — his first regular-season appearance since playing in October's preseason before a blood clot injury sidelined him for nearly three months — he wasted no time making an impact. He kicked things off by threading a perfect pass through traffic to Kevin Huerter, beating Bam Adebayo's defense for an and-one layup. Moments later, he knocked down a wide-open three-pointer.

Then he immediately connected with others in his signature fashion: a driving dime to Matas Buzelis, his summer league teammate, for a morale-raising and-one finish before taking a breather. Coming off again in the final frame, he bombed in a second three, dropped another dime, and even won a jump ball against the 6-foot05 Kaspars Jakučionis, making him the shortest Bulls player to win a tip in franchise history.

Amid Josh Giddey, Coby White, Zach Collins, Jalen Smith and Nikola Vucevic all resting, Kawamura became the x-factor Saturday night. Alongside Ayo Dosunmu's dominance, Buzelis's crunch-time heroics and the starting unit's dedication, Kawamura provided the spark Chicago desperately needed.

His meaningful debut felt destined. The special presence he carries, a short frame with an oversized heart, impressed people during the preseason and summer league. While others navigate their identities during periods of adaptation, Kawamura stays ready, plugs in and produces immediately.

That preparedness earned him trust from Billy Donovan during the fourth quarter, and he answered emphatically.

"That feels so good. It was my first time playing in clutch time in the NBA. I felt so amazing. I got locked in," Kawamura told K.C. Johnson about the fourth-quarter minutes he had after the game.

Kawamura has always lived for big moments. If you follow international basketball, you shouldn't miss how he orchestrated Japan's comeback victory over Finland during the 2023 FIBA World Cup — the nation's first-ever win against a European team. That crucial triumph generated Olympic hopes for Japan for the first time in history (excluding their automatic qualification as hosts of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics).

His later performance against Venezuela, a double-double with 19 points and 11 assists, ignited the spark toward a promising future, securing the final Olympic ticket as the only Asian representative.

Remember how he became a fan favorite in Memphis? What he did was simple yet incomparable: fit in fast, maximize every minute of court time. If you've seen his relentless work in the gym — continuing basketball and non-basketball drills even after being waived while dealing with the injury — in the Bulls' facility, the Cinderella story that started with a training contract with the Grizzlies makes perfect sense.

Kawamura brought samurai-like energy Saturday night, stunning the Miami Heat, the Bulls’ early-season nightmare that had beaten them twice in previous meetings at the United Center.

In the 1990s, a legendary Japanese basketball manga called Slam Dunk was adapted for television and swept across the nation. The anime and original work by Takehiko Inoue, who was inspired by the 1990s Chicago Bulls with Michael Jordan, created an underdog high school team wearing Bulls-esque red-and-white jerseys. That team breaks into the National Tournament and upsets the No. 1 team in the country.

Growing up in Japan, Yuki was like countless others influenced by that manga, which led him to see red and become a devoted fan of the NBA team from across the Pacific Ocean.

After suiting up in those non-regular-season games, his debut with his favorite team Saturday at Kaseya Center came full circle. With another game remaining in Miami on Sunday or the season remainder, he could suit up twice and impact the game alongside the cardiac bench crew.

"I've been a big Chicago Bulls fan my whole life. I'm so happy to be here. I just wanted to bring energy," he said.