On media day at the Advocate Center near the Chicago Bulls' home territory, United Center, Yuki Kawamura stood in front of Michael Jordan's statue, filming a message for fans back home in Japan.

"Hello everyone. I'm Yuki Kawamura. Today is media day. I'm filming in front of the Michael Jordan statue. Everyone, please look forward to the season," Kawamura said in Japanese through the Bulls' X platform.

When the first day of training camp opened at the Bulls' training facility, the scene was striking. Japanese journalists packed the media room with large TV cameras, all aiming to talk to Kawamura and capture the Bulls players' reactions to the 5-foot-8 guard. It resembled how Japanese baseball reporters followed Shohei Ohtani from the Los Angeles Angels to the Dodgers—though this time, it wasn't for a star-caliber athlete, but for Kawamura, the Bulls' two-way point guard who has become a fan favorite, at least in Japan.

Bulls players shared their views on Kawamura during media day, and beyond the typical compliments about his impressive passing and quickness, Matas Buzelis, his summer league teammate, revealed another side of the Japanese international.

"Yuki likes to talk a lot of trash, he likes to do that (to me)," Buzelis said.

Since joining the Bulls camp and playing in the 2025 Summer League, Kawamura has won over Chicagoans with his acrobatic skillset, just as he became a fan favorite in Memphis Grizzlies a year earlier. The trash-talking perspective doesn't just show he's overcome the language barrier and cultural adjustment—it demonstrates how well he's fitting in both on and off the court.

Nearly a year ago, Kawamura reached a career milestone, inking his first-ever NBA training camp deal and later a promoted two-way contract with the Grizzlies. The jump wasn't surprising, given how he had shocked the world in 2023, leading Japan to stunning victories over Finland—featuring Lauri Markkanen—and Venezuela in the FIBA World Cup, which helped his country secure a berth for the 2024 Paris Olympics. In Paris, his leadership nearly helped Japan upset the host nation, France.

"He is an electric player," said Josh Giddey, who first encountered Kawamura when Australia beat Japan 109-89 in the 2023 FIBA World Cup first round. "He's obviously a very unique player with his size…very well-deserved to be an NBA Player."

With Ja Morant and Scotty Pippen Jr. ahead of him on Memphis's backcourt depth chart, Kawamura found limited opportunities at the NBA level. But it wasn't a bad year. He cherished every moment and capitalized on his chances with the Memphis Hustle, the Grizzlies' G League affiliate, averaging 12.4 points, 7.8 assists and 1.0 steal in 31.0 minutes per game across 24 appearances, immediately becoming an impact player.

He also showed flashes at the NBA level when called up to the main roster, including a career performance of 12 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists with three made three-pointers against the Dallas Mavericks in April. Those 22 NBA appearances don't tell the full story of his year. The chemistry he built with teammates in Memphis, the love he earned from the stands, and the confidence he displayed as an orchestrator all indicated he has the potential to stay in the league.

His story in Chicago proves the Cinderella run continues. After joining the Bulls' summer camp, he shined in Las Vegas in July, averaging 10.2 points, 6.2 assists, 2.4 rebounds, and 2.2 steals per game across five appearances. Despite working with a brand new team, what stood out was his ability to build connections quickly while repeatedly finding open teammates.

He later earned another two-way contract, this time from the Bulls. Not only is he a fan favorite due to his personality and skills, but he's also a coach's favorite who consistently showcases selflessness with the ball and strong ball-handling. As the Bulls head coach Billy Donovan plans to play a wider rotation heading into the 2025-26 season while emphasizing smart play to minimize turnovers in a high-tempo system, Kawamura appears to be the right fit.

"I feel similar (to Memphis), especially in the offensive system. Both team focuses on the transition offense. When you get the rebounds, everybody sprints the corner, everybody sprints the rim, push a ball, kick ahead. Sometimes use a drag screen. I think it fits me," Kawamura said.

Ahead of the season, Kawamura has put in the grind work alongside the rest of the camp roster. Donovan said the camp has featured plenty of physical contact, and clips show Kawamura fully participating and embracing the intensity.

"Our practice is going good. We've been building like our chemistry and our relationship with each other," Kawamura said. "I'm still learning what I need to do to impact winning."

Asked who stood out to him in camp, he picked up Buzelis. Regarding the trash talk, he clarified he wasn't the one initiating those conversations, pointing back to the second-year forward.

"He was lying," Kawamura said. As for the content of their exchanges, he implied the F-word: "It's not good for TV."

Now, as the team heads into the preseason hoping to set a tone before the regular season tips off, Kawamura will be living the two-way life, shuttling between Hoffman Estates (Windy City Bulls) and the West Loop just as he did a year before. But his main goal, backed by overwhelming support from his home country, remains unchanged.

"My main goal is to get a main contract," Kawamura said.

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