Ja Morant's 5-8 teammate Yuki Kawamura drops one-word reaction as Grizzlies beat Heat behind star's buzzer-beater
Memphis Grizzlies star point guard Ja Morant led his squad to a nail-biting 110-108 road win during Thursday's road matchup against the Miami Heat. The one-time All-NBA selectee's clutch execution garnered him a social media shoutout from fan-favorite Japanese teammate Yuki Kawamura.
Following a pair of pivotal late-game baskets by Grizzlies and Heat stars Jaren Jackson Jr. and Tyler Herro, the game was tied at 108-108 with 13.8 seconds remaining. Morant then took matters into his own hands, singling out rookie defender Kel'el Ware at the 3-point line.
Morant drove at the 7-footer and stepped back for a jumper in the lane, which bounced around the rim before falling at the buzzer. The game-winner snapped Memphis' four-game losing skid as it secured its first victory in four tries under interim coach Tuomas Iisalo.
Kawamura, a two-way contract player splitting his time between the Grizzlies and their NBA G League affiliate, the Memphis Hustle, didn't play in the contest. Nevertheless, he supported his star teammate after his team-best 30-point showing.
The 5-foot-8 guard took to his Instagram stories and shared a clip of Morant's buzzer-beater, acknowledging his crunch-time heroics via a brief caption.
"HIM," Kawamura wrote, alongside a telephone receiver emoji.
Morant and Kawamura have reportedly developed a strong bond amid Kawamura's rookie campaign, with the two-time All-Star helping him adapt to American culture. Early in the season, Morant referred to Kawamura, the NBA's shortest player, as a "light and joy to the team."
So, it appears the two have each other's backs as the Western Conference's sixth-seeded Grizzlies (45-32) gear up for a potential playoff run.
Yuki Kawamura on his relationship with Ja Morant and star's standing among NBA's best point guards
During an interview with Taiwanese-American ex-NBA standout Jeremy Lin late last month, Yuki Kawamura touched on his brotherly relationship with Ja Morant.
"He has helped me a lot since I came here," Kawamura said (timestamp: 5:37). "He's my big brother. He teaches me basketball skills and English."
Kawamura added that he took an interest in being mentored by Morant in training camp due to his standing as one of the league's premier point guards.
"At the first practice at training camp, I asked him a lot of questions about basketball skills, English, the Grizzlies' organization, American culture and so on. I just wanted to learn from him," Kawamura said. "I believe he's one of the best point guards in the NBA right now."
Thus, the Grizzlies reserve appears to hold Morant in high regard on and off the court.
Also Read: "A pigeon guarding me" - Ja Morant shares comical message with Taylor Rooks after game-winner during Grizzlies-Heat