The 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris turned heads on the basketball court. Not surprisingly, the American team led by LeBron James, Kevin Durant, and Stephen Curry took the gold home.
That doesn't mean the rest of the world didn't put up a fight. The French team with Victor Wembanyama got the silver, while the Nikola Jokic-led Serbian team won bronze.
One of the big surprises for a lot of viewers was how well the Japanese team played. In particular, point guard Yuki Kawamura shone and for good reason. The Kings should be keeping an eye on him.
Yuki Kawamura in the NBA
After several years in Japan's B.League, Kawamura made the leap to the NBA thanks to his great showing in the 2024 Summer Olympics. His performance likely caught the attention of a few teams, but it was the Memphis Grizzlies that made the move.
The Grizzlies brought him in for the training camp, then signed him to a two-way contract. He didn't play a lot of main roster minutes, but he made good use of what he got.
After the 2024-2025 season, Kawamura joined the Chicago Bulls for the Summer League. This was quickly followed by the Bulls signing him to another two-way contract.
The Kings need a guy like Kawamura
At 5'8", Kawamura is nearly a foot under the average height for an NBA player. He more than makes up for that with incredible speed and ball-handling, not to mention exceptional passing. Kawamura has the potential to be an elite playmaker in the league.
On top of that, Kawamura is an explosive player and efficient scorer who is aggressive on both ends of the court. The man tends to rack up the steals.
That is exactly who the Kings need moving forward. One of their biggest gaps is in passing and playmaking. Essentially, they are in need of someone who can put their overabundance of shooters to good use. Plus, his defensive prowess is important.
All Kawamura needs is a team to give him a proper chance, and he will excel. That team could and should be the Kings, as he just might be the difference maker they need moving forward.