Yuki Kawamura brings excitement to Indiana Pacers Summer League team, says coach Rick Carlisle

Indiana Pacers coach Rick Carlisle — and, it seems, almost the full roster — went to Las Vegas to watch their Summer League squad compete.Carlisle joined the ESPN broadcast during their opener to discuss the coming season, and he has been struck with the performance of Yuki Kawamura, a 25-year-old 5-foot-7 guard from Japan who has 40 games of NBA experience over two seasons."He's an easy guy to like," Carlisle said.

"He just kind of explodes into the game. When the coach points to him on the bench, he just flies up to the scorer's table, and then stuff just happens. "He really knows how to play.

He's seeing things before they happen. He has a great sense for how to draw contact and put the defense in jail. He goes hard."

Kawamura has averaged 10 points and 3.5 assists in two Summer League games. The Pacers have games scheduled for Monday and Wednesday.

Here he comes: Tantalizing guard joining Summer League roster Yuki Kawamura has everyone fired up 🔥🔥🔥 https://t.co/RHpH2KqLWgpic.twitter.

com/RkbnelK9Rx— Indiana Pacers (@Pacers) July 11, 2026Pacers coach Rick Carlisle on Tyrese HaliburtonTyrese Haliburton missed the 2025-26 season with an Achilles injury suffered in Game 7 of the 2025 NBA Finals. Carlisle said Haliburton has been playing 5-on-5 for a while."It's going to be a journey for him," Carlisle said.

"He's aggressively attacking the summer and looking forward to being back on the court." Pacers coach Rick Carlisle on Ivica ZubacThe Pacers traded for center Ivica Zubac in February. He played a handful of games before injuries slowed him.

Carlisle is eager to see how he fits into the Pacers' system."We've not had a guy that can put the kind of rim pressure he can put on with rolls, seals, and (scoring) at the rim," Carlisle said. "There's great opportunity here."

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