Ja Morant hypes up Grizzlies crowd as fan-favorite 5'8" Yuki Kawamura drills huge 3 over 6'11" Marvin Bagley
Ja Morant watched from the sidelines on Sunday in the Memphis Grizzlies’ 140-112 rout of the Washington Wizards. The explosive guard did not see action because of a sore back. Morant stayed engaged, hyping up the crowd and cheering his team from the bench during the game.
With Memphis cruising to a win, fan-favorite Yuki Kawamura eventually saw some minutes. Grizzlies coach Taylor Jenkins sent the Japanese in for Jay Huff with 5:20 remaining in the game. Kawamura sank a 29-footer over 6-foot-11 Marvin Bagley III with under a minute left.
Morant and the Grizzlies bench erupted in cheers when the diminutive guard drilled the 3-pointer. The remaining Wizards fans who stayed to watch the game stood on their feet for Kawamura.
Yuki Kawamura had the green light to look for his shot once he suited up for the Grizzlies. He launched a deep 3-point attempt that went short a few seconds into his stint. The Japanese continued to be aggressive and later attacked the rim against Jared Butler, who was called for a foul. Kawamura went 1-for-2 from the free-throw line.
The exciting moment came with less than a minute left in the game. Cam Spencer missed a 3-pointer, but Grizzlies rookie Jaylen Wells grabbed the offensive rebound. Kawamura took advantage of the extra possession by draining the triple over Bagley’s outstretched hands.
Ja Morant joined his teammates in wild celebrations after Kawamura's shot.
Ja Morant and Yuki Kawamura have not been on the court at the same time this season
Ja Morant is a staple in the starting lineup. He is normally out of the game when the outcome has been decided. If it’s a blowout win or a lopsided loss, the franchise cornerstone is on the bench late in games.
Yuki Kawamura, on a two-way contract, averages 3.1 minutes in 13 games. The Japanese point guard usually suits up when only the final score remains undecided. He has not shared the floor with Morant.
The last time both appeared for the Grizzlies but not on the floor together was on Dec. 2 against the Indiana Pacers. Memphis rolled to a 136-121 home win after trailing 45-28 in the first quarter. Kawamura entered the game with 1:19 left in the game, while Ja Morant was substituted a minute ahead of the fan-favorite.