Honestly, if you've spent any time on basketball Twitter or scrolled through Japanese sports forums lately, you know the name Yuki Kawamura. He’s the 5'7" dynamo who basically became a folk hero overnight. People love the underdog story, but when you actually sit down to look at the Yuki Kawamura NBA stats, things get a lot more nuanced than just "small guy plays big."
Most folks see the height and think it's a novelty. It's not.
Kawamura spent the bulk of the 2024-25 season with the Memphis Grizzlies organization, mostly bouncing between the big stage and the G League. He actually suited up for 22 games in the NBA. If you just glance at the back of his basketball card, you might be underwhelmed. He averaged 1.6 points and 0.9 assists per game.
But that's where stats can be total liars.
He was playing about 4.2 minutes a night. Usually, this was "garbage time"—those last few minutes when the result is already decided and the starters are cooling off with Gatorade. However, his Per 36 Minute numbers tell a wildly different story. On a Per 36 basis, he was looking at roughly 13.9 points and 7.4 assists. That's starting-caliber production if he could sustain it against first-unit defenses.
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Why his G League numbers are the real tell
If you want to know if Yuki can actually play at this level, you have to look at his time with the Memphis Hustle. The G League is where he actually got the ball in his hands. He wasn't just a passenger there; he was the engine.
In the G League, his line looked like this:
- 12.4 points per game
- 7.8 assists per game
- 2.7 rebounds
- 1.1 steals
The 7.8 assists are the "holy crap" stat. He was leading almost everyone in the league in playmaking for a good chunk of the season. He has this weird, almost psychic ability to see a play two seconds before it happens. I saw a clip of him basically pointing at a teammate to move to a spot while he was mid-dribble, then hitting him with a no-look pass the millisecond the guy arrived.
The shooting, though? That’s where the struggle is real.
In the NBA, he shot about 36.7% from the field and 30.4% from three. In the G League, it wasn't much better, hovering around 27-28% for a while. It’s the classic "small guard" tax. When every defender is 6 to 10 inches taller than you, every layup is a mountain climb and every jumper has to be a split-second quicker.
The Chicago Bulls move and the leg injury
Things got interesting—and then frustrating—at the start of 2026. Kawamura signed a two-way deal with the Chicago Bulls in early January. Bulls fans were hyped. They saw the vision of a high-energy playmaker coming off the bench.
But the "stats" we're looking at right now are mostly medical.
He's been dealing with a blood clot in his lower right leg. It’s scary stuff. He missed the tail end of the preseason and was even waived briefly before being brought back on that two-way pact. This injury is basically the only thing holding him back from proving those Memphis numbers weren't a fluke.
Can he actually survive in the NBA?
There's a lot of debate about whether a 159-pound guard can survive a 82-game grind. His career high in the NBA so far is 12 points, which he dropped on the Dallas Mavericks on April 13, 2025. He also grabbed 5 rebounds and 5 assists in that game.
That game was the blueprint.
When he’s aggressive and the team lets him run the pick-and-roll, he’s a nightmare to stay in front of. He’s low to the ground, his handle is tight, and he uses his lack of height as a weapon to get under the "shoulders" of taller defenders.
But then you look at the defensive side.
He tries. Man, he tries. He’s like a gnat that won't leave you alone. But in a league dominated by "positionless" wings who are 6'8", he’s always going to be a target. Teams will just hunt him in the post. That’s the reality. His defensive rating was actually decent in small samples—around 111.6—but coaches are always going to be nervous about that mismatch.
Real Talk on the Percentages
The 2023 FIBA World Cup and the 2024 Olympics showed us the "True Yuki."
He averaged 20.3 points and 7.7 assists in the Olympics.
Against France—a team with Victor Wembanyama and Rudy Gobert—he put up 29 points.
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That proves the talent is there. The NBA 3-point line is further back than the FIBA line, and that adjustment is clearly showing up in his 30.4% NBA shooting clip. If he can get that up to even 35%, he becomes a permanent fixture on an NBA roster. Without the shot, he’s a specialist.
What to watch for next
If you're following his progress, don't just check the box scores for points. Look at the Assist-to-Turnover ratio. In Memphis, he was keeping that remarkably clean for someone who takes as many risks as he does.
Also, keep an eye on his status with the Windy City Bulls (Chicago's G League affiliate). Now that he's signed that two-way deal in January 2026, he’s going to get plenty of run once that leg injury clears up.
If he can replicate that 7.8 assists-per-game average in the Bulls' system, he’ll be back in the United Center before the season ends.
To really track if he's making the leap, focus on his finishing at the rim. Right now, he's shooting much better on "floats" and mid-range pull-ups than he is at the actual cup. If that "restricted area" percentage climbs, the league is in trouble.
Check the Bulls' injury report weekly for "lower leg" updates. Once he’s off that list, his G League game logs will be the first place to see if his shooting touch has finally caught up to the depth of the American 3-point line.