Going to the United States alone without a team! I have been learning English even in my dreams! How much effort did Yuki Kawamura put in?

He went to the United States alone, used Japanese phonetic notation for his speeches in English, carried a small notebook with him to memorize words, and had to cook his own dinner in the early hours of the morning. How much effort did the Japanese player Yuki Kawamura make off the court in order to stay in the NBA?

1. Learn English.

In the summer of 2024, Yuki Kawamura received a training camp invitation from the Grizzlies, but it did not include any guarantees. He must fight for a two-way contract spot to stay on the team. In September of that year, Kawamura, who had a weak foundation in English, decided to go to the United States alone without any family members, translators, nutritionists, or agents.

On the one hand, Kawamura believes that whether it is language barriers or living alone, it is a practice. Being able to overcome difficulties will still give him a sense of accomplishment. On the other hand, he believes that basketball is a team sport that values ​​communication, and the presence of a translator will slow down the growth of his conversational skills.

After arriving in the United States, Kawamura changed all his chats with his friends in English, and did not listen to or watch Japanese programs. The urgency of learning English caused him to dream that he was reading the contract, but the coach would not let him stay on the team, and then he woke up with a fright. He described to reporters in broken English how he felt when he woke up and was glad it was a dream. The reporter told him a more appropriate word, "Relieved", and he quickly wrote down the unknown word.

It turns out that Kawamura would carry a small notebook with him to record some daily English expressions. He would also carry a grammar book with him and use his meal time to learn grammar knowledge. When he knew he was going to be interviewed, he would draft it in English in advance. Just like when we first learned English, he also used his native language to phoneticize unfamiliar words. If Kawamura gets stuck for a long time during the interview, Grizzlies boss Morant will stay by to help him answer.

Why is Morant so interested in this temporary foreign worker? This is Kawamura’s second point: integrating into the team!

As soon as Kawamura arrived with the Grizzlies, he challenged Morant in training and led the entire team to defend him. Then he praised him for being too fast, jumping as if he was flying, and kept chasing Morant to ask questions. On the fan activity day, Kawamura specially selected Morant's favorite dance, Griddy Dance, and invited the latter to dance together.

With his hard work and openness, he quickly won the trust of the team boss. The Grizzlies reporter bluntly said that Morant's behind-the-scenes support was an important reason why Kawamura was finally able to secure a two-way contract to stay with the team. Even if he is sitting on the bench and cannot play, he will rush from the back row to the front of the crowd to celebrate Morant's wonderful goals. On November 6, 2024, Yuki Kawamura scored his first NBA score with a free throw. After the game, he took the initiative to invite the entire team to sign the ball for him.

At the same time, Kawamura still maintains extreme self-discipline. After every game or training, it is already early in the morning when he gets home, but Kawamura still buys and cooks his own food considering the nutritional value. Since he did not bring a nutritionist with him, he used online consultation to formulate corresponding recipes, and the food was also cooked with clear soup.

In the summer of 2025, Kawamura's contract with the Grizzlies expires. He gave up preparing for the Asian Cup and turned around to join the Bulls' summer league lineup in an attempt to win a two-way job. At this time, he was able to express himself fluently in English, and the muscle dimensions of his arms were visibly thicker.

Kawamura successfully stayed in the Bulls with his Summer League performance averaging 10.2 points, 2.4 rebounds, 6.2 assists and 2.2 steals per game. During this period, he often sent out wonderful passes to assist his teammates to eat cakes, but he also thanked his teammates in front of the camera, saying frankly that he had a height defect, and it was thanks to his teammates who helped him defend. From the joke between him and his teammates calling each other "son", it can also be seen that the relationship is indeed harmonious: "He is my son", "He is my son".

Unfortunately, Kawamura suffered a serious right calf strain during the October preseason. The recovery period was too long, so the Bulls had no choice but to waive Kawamura and sign someone else to supplement their strength. But the Bulls still allowed Kawamura to use the team's facilities and provide staff to help him recover, perhaps in the hope that he would return.

Kawamura, who is extremely disadvantaged in terms of body shape, only reached the NBA with his high emotional intelligence and meticulous attention to detail. Asian players who already have physical advantages over him must not waste their hard-won NBA opportunities!