Yuki Kawamura reacts to $9,250,000 teammate's first dunk in five years as Ja Morant labels it "perfect 10"

Yuki Kawamura, Ja Morant and the rest of the Memphis Grizzlies were fired up after Luke Kennard displayed his dunking abilities during the team’s 132-120 victory over the Charlotte Hornets on Wednesday. The Grizzlies’ bench erupted in excitement when Kennard stole the ball with 10:18 left in the fourth quarter and delivered a two-handed slam.

The 6-foot-5 guard, not typically known for his dunking, achieved his first dunk in five years, with his last coming during the 2019-20 season. Kennard, who is on a one-year, $9,250,000 contract, thoroughly enjoyed the moment, flashing a bright smile as he glanced over at the Grizzlies bench following the play.

Yuki Kawamura, the NBA's shortest player at 5-foot-8, shared a video of Kennard's dunk and used an emoji to sum up his teammate's impressive play.

(Credit: Yuki Kawamura/Instagram)

Ja Morant, renowned for his acrobatic plays and jaw-dropping dunks, was asked about Luke Kennard’s highlight-worthy dunk against the Hornets. The Grizzlies superstar rated his teammate’s effort as a “perfect 10.”

When questioned about whether Kennard should consider participating in the dunk contest, Morant humorously suggested that the sharpshooting guard should stick to what he does best.

"(Luke Kennard) should be in the 3-point contest. Stick to your strengths," Morant said after the game.

Jaren Jackson Jr. didn’t hold back his praise for the former LA Clippers guard’s dunk, giving it a perfect score of 50.

Luke Kennard reacts to his first dunk in five years

Luke Kennard was caught off guard during his postgame courtside interview when reminded that his dunk against the Charlotte Hornets was his first in five years. The Grizzlies guard shared that the crowd’s excitement after his steal inspired him to finish the play with a two-handed slam.

The former Duke guard delivered a stellar performance, providing a significant boost to the Grizzlies on both ends of the floor after coming off the bench. Kennard was on fire from beyond the arc, giving the home crowd plenty to cheer about.

He finished the game with 23 points on 8 of 12 shooting from the field, including an impressive 7 of 11 from 3-point range. In addition, he contributed four rebounds, three assists and two steals in 26 minutes.