Yuki Kawamura has been surprising fans by making passes that seem ridiculous. His no-look passes for the Memphis Grizzlies have garnered attention from everyone. Wearing the no. 17, the same no. as Shohei Ohtani, another Japanese in the MLB who’s rewriting history, can Yuki do the same? While he is the shortest player in the NBA right now, the 5 foot 8 Point Guard isn’t even close to being the shortest player to have played in the NBA.

In basketball, height usually grabs the spotlight, but shorter players have proven time and again that they belong on the court. They’ve defied the odds and earned their place by showcasing incredible skill and determination. Yuki Kawamura is one of those players who has been breaking this stereotype. But he isn’t the first one to do so.

Enter Muggsy Bogues, the shortest player ever to have played in the NBA, standing at 5 foot 3 in, a whole 5 inches shorter than Kawamura. Bogues had been defying the odds not only since being drafted for the NBA, but years before that. He was shot when he was 5, a stray buckshot hit him in the head and also his arms and chest as well. He thought he wouldn’t survive. But no buckshot was stopping this man from creating history. 

Bogues was the 12th overall pick by the Washington Bullets in the 1987 NBA draft. He led the Bullets in assists and steals during his rookie season. Then he went to the Charlotte Hornets, where he established himself as a solid player. He blocked 39 total shots in the NBA, but one of these blocks was different. The 5 foot 3 in player blocked one shot of the 7-foot tall Patrick Ewing. In his nine seasons with the Hornets, Muggsy Bogues averaged 8.8 points and became an all-time leader in assists (5,557) and steals (1067). But what about Kawamura?

Yuki Kawamura has been defying the odds

Kawamura attended Fukuoka Daiichi High School and led his school team to back-to-back All-Japan High School tournament titles. Following that, the league granted him ‘Special designated player’ status, allowing him to compete in the Japanese B. League while remaining registered with his university. He became the youngest player to ever play in the league at the age of 18 and a few moments later, the youngest player in the league to score with the franchise San-en NeoPhoenix. In his first season, he averaged 12.6 points, 2 rebounds, and 3.09 assists per game. 

Kawamura transferred to the Yokohama B-Corsairs the next season, where he spent 3 seasons with them. During his time there, he averaged 16.6 points, 3 rebounds, and 7.5 assists per game. He was the MVP for the season 2022-23. 

He also plays for the Japanese team, which nearly stunned the French. With just 16 seconds on the clock, the Japanese were up by 4. But Kawamura was called for a foul on Matthew Strazel, who converted a four-point play to tie the game. Japan, despite losing their star player Rui Hachimura to an ejection early in the fourth quarter, still had a chance to win. Kawamura took the final shot, but his deep three-pointer missed, sending the game into overtime.

Running out of steam in overtime, Japan fell 94-90, missing a chance at one of the biggest upsets in Olympic basketball history. Though they came up short, Kawamura’s performance turned heads, as he dropped 29 points, including six 3-pointers, while adding seven rebounds and six assists against the eventual silver medalists. For the Japan National Team, Kawamura averages 20.3 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 7.7 assists per game.

Kawamura was then signed on an Exhibit 10 contract by the Memphis Grizzlies. Fighting to secure a two-way contract, he has been making some astonishing passes in the preseason games. On Monday he recorded 10 points, 7 assists, and 1 rebound when the Grizzlies defeated the Indiana Pacers.