The Chicago Bulls may have lost to the Los Angeles Lakers, 142-130, on Thursday, but it was still a memorable evening for Yuki Kawamura.
Kawamura played 10 minutes off the bench, tallying three points, one rebound, and two assists. But it was what happened after the game that was special for the pint-sized guard from Japan.
He got reunited with Rui Hachimura, his teammate on the national team, and they shared a signature moment—quite literally.
“Yuki Kawamura has a signed Rui Hachimura jersey in the postgame locker room, and Kawamura signed one for his countryman as well. Big deal to have two Japanese players in the same game,” said Chicago Sports Network's KC Johnson on X.
The 24-year-old Kawamura quickly became a fan favorite in Chicago when he joined the team in last year's Summer League. He, however, was released during training camp after suffering a leg injury.
Many were saddened by his departure, with some even imploring the Bulls to rescind the decision. In January, the team brought back Kawamura on a two-way deal.
He is not merely a novelty, as Kawamura's vision and passing are up there with some of the NBA's top floor generals. He is a prototypical point guard, as he loves setting up his teammates.
Kawamura and Hachimura last represented Japan together in the 2024 Paris Olympics. They went winless in three games. Hachimura led the team in scoring with 22.0 points, while Kawamura was not far behind with 20.3 points. Kawamura also averaged 7.7 assists.
Hachimura had 15 points on 6-of-10 shooting in their win over the Bulls.
