Yuki Kawamura (23), who signed a non-guaranteed Exhibit 10 contract with the Memphis Grizzlies, participated in the team’s first practice of training camp.

Yuki Kawamura made his first appearance as a member of the Grizzlies on October 1, local time, the first day of training camp, in Memphis, Tennessee, USA.

After checking the defensive formation, Kawamura checked the offensive movement (5-0), and occasionally spoke with coaches and players, sometimes giving a firm nod.

After practice, he spoke to the Japanese media and talked about his enthusiasm for his dream challenge to the NBA.

Question and answer below

ーーHonestly, how did you feel after your first NBA camp ended on October 1st?

I feel like I’m having a really fulfilling day, and even though it’s only the first day since camp started, I think it’s been a fruitful day as I’ve learned what I was able to do and what I wasn’t able to do. .

ーーYou looked like you had a lot of fun at the end, didn’t you?

Shooting and competing with my teammates is fun, so I think I’ll continue to communicate with them through basketball practice and English studies.

ーーWhat kind of practices do you do in NBA practice, and what are your impressions and feelings after trying them?

The intensity is really high, and I think everyone is playing with a lot of energy, so I think they’re practicing with a lot of heart, not just size.

–Are there any memorable conversations or words that remain?

There are a lot of rules about how to create spacing and how to create spacing, not just driving but also cutting, so I think I have to gradually get used to those things. I have it.

–When you first meet someone, even from a historical perspective, you’re short. Have any players or teammates said anything about your height?

Ah, that’s right, they didn’t say anything in particular, but during the last huddle, we were all told, including Yuuki and myself, that we weren’t that big, so we all boxed out and we had to fight after all. A player from Spain who is the same age as me said this.

–What’s your jersey number?

It’s number 17. Actually, I realized it after I decided on it…In the baseball world, it’s the number that Shohei Otani wears, so I don’t have a lot of meaning behind it when I wear this number…I’m trying not to be embarrassed. I think we need to play in a way that makes people think that America’s jersey number is a great number.

— What did you realize once again after participating in the NBA camp?

Every day is a tryout and you don’t know when you’re going to get cut, so you can’t relax at all, and you have to prove to your teammates and the coaching staff that you can play, so you have to be prepared for that. In other words, I want to stay focused and face myself in the right way, day by day.

– What about the playbook?

It’s only just started today, so I don’t think the team has shared their thinking on offense or defense since it only started today.

ーーHow do you feel about the organization after coming to Memphis?

The players, coaching staff, facilities, and environment make me feel glad that I came here, so I think we still have to improve, but I think the Memphis organization is great.

–What is a player?

I also work out, and since we’re in the same facility, I greet all my teammates.

–Did the athletes say they watched the Olympics or something?

That’s not the case…That’s why I have to prove that I can do it, and especially with the coaching staff, I’m really happy when they tell me that they watched the Olympics and they say it was great, but the rest is… I feel like I have to prove to my teammates what I can do, so I feel like I still have a lot of work to do. Close to zero. I want to do my best to earn your trust.

–After trying the practice menu, do you feel it’s different from Japan?

Hmm… I don’t have any special practices, but I feel like the spirit and passion they put into each practice is completely different. I feel like the intensity and amount of heat is different.

Q: Does this team’s PG have anything to do with Ja Morant or Marcus?

It’s not like we’re talking a lot, but when we’re on the court and playing together, I think we’re able to talk about what we should do and what we did right now.

–Has your training changed in any way since coming to America?

When I change trainers, my training also changes, so in that sense I try to incorporate new menus and training that is different from what I’ve been doing up until now. I don’t think it’s because I’ve changed, or because my environment has changed, but I think it’s more about training to quantify things.

ーーWhat part did you accomplish today?

Hmm… “I felt like I could have done better today. There were many shots I made, shots I received from good passes, and shots I couldn’t make. Regarding passes, I felt like I could have done better today. I think I’ve achieved this, so I thought it would be a good idea to continue doing it.