LOS ANGELES (Kyodo) -- Yuki Kawamura reflected on a tumultuous year of basketball Sunday after scoring an NBA career-high 10 points off the bench for the Memphis Grizzlies in a 130-106 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder.

The Japan men's national team guard has been dividing his time between the Grizzlies and their developmental G-League affiliate, the Memphis Hustle, since signing a two-way contract in October.

"In terms of getting the two-way contract to play in the NBA, it was a great year, but looking back, it was also a year of frustration," said the 173-centimeter Kawamura, who starred for Japan during the summer at the Paris Olympics.

While Kawamura grabbed the international spotlight at the games with his individual performance, including 29 points in an overtime loss to eventual silver medalist France, Japan finished the Olympic tournament with a disappointing 0-3 record.

Against the Thunder, he connected on four of his five field goal attempts, including 2-from-3 from three-point range, in 11 minutes of action at Oklahoma City's Paycom Center.

He also contributed three assists and three rebounds for the Grizzlies, who sit second in the NBA's Western Conference with 22 wins and 11 losses.

Conference leader Oklahoma City improved to 26-5 and extended their win streak to 11 on the back of a 35-point, seven-assist performance from star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.

Kawamura played his last G-League game of 2024 on Friday. He has started all eight of his games for the Hustle, averaging 14.9 points and 9.6 assists.

"I hope 2025 will be a year in which I can feel I've grown even more," he said.