Rakuten, Inc. (Headquarters: Setagaya-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director, Chairman and President: Hiroshi Mikitani; hereinafter “Rakuten”) has signed a global management contract with Yuki Kawamura, a member of the Tokai University men’s basketball team SEAGULLS. This is the first case in Japan of a university basketball player signing a management contract with a company.
Kawamura has played consistently as a point guard since beginning basketball at the age of six. While attending powerhouse Fukuoka Daiichi High School, he won four national titles, including back-to-back Winter Cup championships, and was also selected to the Best Five. In January 2020, he joined the B.LEAGUE club San-en NeoPhoenix as a specially designated player, and earned the Rookie of the Year Best Five award after drawing attention for setting league records as the youngest player ever to appear in a game and the youngest player ever to score. In October, he was also selected for Forbes JAPAN 30 UNDER 30 JAPAN 2020 (note), and is expected to play a leading role in the future of Japanese sports.
Under this agreement, Rakuten will support Kawamura’s branding activities and career development as an athlete through efforts such as securing sponsorships. Rakuten has already built a global sports network through a wide range of initiatives, including partnerships with the U.S. professional basketball league NBA and its team the Golden State Warriors, as well as the operation of professional soccer club Vissel Kobe and support for the branding activities of player Andres Iniesta. By leveraging these networks and its branding expertise, Rakuten will support Kawamura’s athletic career from multiple angles.
Rakuten will continue to work on a variety of initiatives that contribute to revitalizing and developing the sports industry as a whole, including support for young athletes who will lead the next generation, in order to empower people through sports.
(Note) Forbes JAPAN’s annual list of “30 people under 30 from Japan who are changing the world”
Comment from Yuki Kawamura
I agreed with Rakuten’s initiatives in basketball and its philosophy of “empowering people through sports,” and have signed this management contract. Going forward, together with Rakuten, I will aim to become a player who delivers surprise and inspiration, and I will do my utmost to energize society through my play and my willingness to take on challenges. I appreciate your continued support.
Yuki Kawamura Profile
Date of birth: May 2, 2001 (19 years old)
Height/weight: 172 cm / 68 kg
Hometown: Yamaguchi Prefecture
Position: Point guard
Team history: Fukuoka Daiichi High School – San-en NeoPhoenix (Special Designated) – Tokai University
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*The information posted here is current as of the date of announcement. Please note that it may differ from the latest information.