Along with sharing some basketball tips, Memphis Grizzlies star guard Ja Morant is helping Japanese teammate Yuki Kawamura learn English. And some of Morant's lessons have included teaching Kawamura some colorful language, as the latter amusingly shared in a recent interview with CNN international correspondent Hanako Montgomery.
"Ja Morant is like my big brother," Kawamura said. "He teaches me basketball skills and English. Well, sometimes he teaches me bad slang."
When asked what he's learned recently, Kawamura obliged.
"I'm not sure if you can use this, but things like 'type s---.' Yeah, 'type s---.' "
"Ja really likes Poifull jelly beans," Kawamura continued. "So he eats Poifull a lot. But Scotty Pippen Jr. really loves the chocolate Kinoko-no-Yama. Our lockers are right next to each other, so he steals them from my locker a lot."
After starring in the Japanese B.League for five seasons from 2019-2024, Kawamura signed a contract with the Grizzlies in September. He appeared in five preseason games for Memphis, flashing his skills as a playmaker while averaging 3.4 points and 4.2 assists per game in 15.1 minutes per contest. The Grizzlies in October promoted Kawamura to a two-way contract, meaning he would split his time between the NBA and the G League, playing a maximum of 50 games in the former. At 5'8", Kawamura is the shortest player in the NBA and just the ninth player 5'8" or shorter since the ABA-NBA merger in 1976, according to ESPN.
Kawamura logged his first NBA action on October 25 and scored his first points from the foul line in a Nov. 6 game against the Los Angeles Lakers. His first basket from the field came in a Nov. 9 game against the Washington Wizards.
While he has played sparingly in just 20 games for the Grizzlies this season, Kawamura has gone viral multiple times for some highlight reel plays at the end of games. And, perhaps most importantly, he's enjoying his time in the United States with new friends and teammates.
"In America, I've got teammates and friends who are really important to me and life with them is simply amazing," Kawamura said.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Ja Morant Is Helping Yuki Kawamura Learn English, Including Some Colorful Language.
