On the morning of the 7th, when the second match of the 2024 Softbank Cup warm-up match between Korea and Japan will take place, fans from both countries will be surprised to hear news. Japanese national guard Kawamura signed an Exhibit 10 contract with the Memphis Grizzlies. Kawamura, who became Asia’s top guard through the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup along with the 2022-2023 B.League MVP, will take on a new challenge with the goal of advancing to the NBA.
At an official press conference held at Takigashira Hall in Yokohama City, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan on the 9th, Kawamura said, “I recently received an offer from Memphis to sign an Exhibit 10 contract, and after much consideration, I decided to challenge for the NBA. I would like to thank the Yokohama B-Corsese team for their full cooperation and understanding in achieving this dream. I will do my best to achieve my dream, so please give me a lot of support in the future.” 토토사이트 모음
Signing an Exhibit 10 contract does not mean that you will be qualified for the NBA. The Exhibit 10 contract is in the form of a one-year minimum salary for players who failed the NBA draft. They usually stay in the NBA G League and sometimes call up when they have a seat. If they show outstanding performance, they can switch to a two-way contract. Basically, they have to survive the competition.
“It will be the biggest challenge of my basketball life. I’m sure there will be a time when it will be hard and the answer will not be found. There will also be language and cultural barriers. It will be a tough challenge, but it doesn’t matter. It will definitely help me a lot. It is a necessary challenge in my basketball life,” Kawamura said.
In the past, Kawamura was said to have never thought about challenging overseas stages. The reason why his values changed was his participation in international competitions. He had a dream of becoming an NBA player by facing world-class powerhouses in the Basketball World Cup. It is expected that it will be an opportunity to grow further as he participates in the 2024 Paris Olympics, which will open from the 26th.
Kawamura said, “Over the past few years, I have made it clear that I want to challenge myself in overseas performances. But not in my childhood. Up until high school, I was afraid of playing basketball abroad. I thought that overseas performances would not suit me.”
“I changed my mind when I was selected as a member of the Japanese national team. To achieve good results in the World Cup and the Olympics, I have to become a world-class player. I have been constantly preparing for overseas competitions for several years. My ability is important to challenge myself to the NBA, but I don’t know what will happen. I will make an effort and make sure to survive,” he said.
