By Jeff McDonald, Spurs Writer | San Antonio Express-News, 2024-05-06 20:45:23
由生成式人工智能翻译，译文内容可能不准确或不完整，以原文为准
路易斯安那州新奥尔良 - 2024 年 4 月 5 日：在斯穆西国王中心举行的对阵新奥尔良鹈鹕的 NBA 比赛的半场中，圣安东尼奥马刺队的文班亚马 #1 对比赛做出反应，2024 年 4 月 5 日，路易斯安那州新奥尔良。
维克托·文班亚马在周一早上醒来，知道自己将在这一天结束时被评为 NBA 2023-24 年度最佳新秀。
在他总是记分的脑海中只有一个问题：这一打击会有多惨？
“我很想知道是否能全票当选，”马刺队的神童对 Express-News 说。
这对他来说为什么重要？
“你知道，这表明完全支配，”文班亚马说。
就完全支配而言，今年的年度最佳新秀投票与迈克·泰森鼎盛时期与你的会计的会计之间的一场拳击比赛一样一边倒。
文班亚马确实获得了全票，所有 99 张第一名选票都投给了他。
他在投票中的总分为 495 分，比第二名俄克拉荷马城中心的切特·霍姆格伦多 200 分。
通过这样做，文班亚马成为了第一位被评为 NBA 年度最佳新秀的法国球员，也是第三位马刺球员，继 1990 年的戴维·罗宾逊和 1998 年的蒂姆·邓肯之后。
在星期一之前，联盟历史上只有五名球员全票获得了年度最佳新秀——罗宾逊、拉尔夫·萨姆普森、布雷克·格里芬、达米安·利拉德和卡尔-安东尼·唐斯。
邓肯被三名流氓选民拒绝全票，他们说“忘了它吧”，并将他们的选票投给了新泽西的基思·范·霍恩。
文班亚马不会遭受这样的卑鄙行为，他干净利索地拿下了威尔特·张伯伦奖杯。
这位 20 岁的中锋表示，他差点忘了星期一是重要的一天，直到他出现在马刺队的训练设施准备进行锻炼时才发现工作人员正在为公告敲定计划。
“我只是要去练习一下，”文班亚马说。“这里每个人都在谈论这件事，但我并没有因此而感到压力。”
晚上 6 点之前，所有准备工作就绪。
球队在训练馆的一角设置了一个 Zoom 链接，以便文班亚马可以与 TNT 台的厄尼·约翰逊、查尔斯·巴克利、沙奎尔·奥尼尔和肯尼·史密斯进行交流，他们负责处理正式公告。
当奥尼尔打开信封并读出预期的名字——维克托·文班亚马——时，这名新秀面无表情。
这并不意味着文班亚马内心毫无感觉。
“这让我想起了起草我的名字时的情景，因为它从信封里出来了，”文班亚马说。“所以我有一小段时间的沉默来处理它。”
公告发布后，文班亚马被要求谈论自己的成就——与 TNT 团队一起，与更多远程提问者一起为 NBA 电视提供帮助，与 ESPN 记者坐在一起，并与 Express-News 作家聊天。
在他的回合开始 30 分钟后，NBA 新近产生的年度最佳新秀需要暂停一下。
当一名团队工作人员急忙去找一瓶水时，他问，“我能喝点水吗？”
确实，还有很多话要说。
文班亚马是去年6月的选秀状元，他提出了一个堪比NBA编年史上最伟大的新秀赛季履历。
他是 NBA 历史上第一位——无论新秀与否——在同一个赛季中得到 1,500 分、700 个篮板、250 次助攻、250 次盖帽和 100 个三分球的球员。
他是继马努特·波尔（1985-86）之后第二位在封盖中领先联盟的新秀。
他总共获得了 342 次抢断和封盖，自 1992-93 赛季的奥尼尔以来，他是第一位超过 300 次的新秀。
他是联盟历史上最年轻的记录 20-20 比赛的球员，是最年轻的记录 5x5 比赛的球员，也是最年轻的记录 40-20 的球员球员。
文班亚马唯一的遗憾是，所有这些里程碑都主要是在失利中取得的，因为马刺队连续第二个赛季以 22-60 结束。
自 4 月份赛季结束以来，文班亚马一直密切关注 NBA 季后赛，既羡慕又认真地观看。他特别投入明尼苏达-丹佛系列赛，他的朋友和同胞鲁迪·戈贝尔希望击败卫冕冠军。
文班亚马希望有一天能登上那样的舞台。
“我试图从所有这些经历中学习，以便在季后赛中获得上场机会时帮助我，”文班亚马说。“即使没有什么比体验它更好的了，你仍然需要预测一切。”
文班亚马保证，那一天将会到来。
“我甚至无法想象，”文班亚马说，思考着即将到来的季后赛之旅。“我希望我们能让这座城市兴奋起来。我为参与其中而感到兴奋，但也为球迷们感到兴奋。我知道我们将向他们展示一些好东西。”
有可能文班亚马需要在周二再次向 TNT 团队自我介绍，届时 NBA 的<a href=“https://www.expressnews.com/sports/spurs/article/defensive-year-wembanyama-s-odds-finalist-19444245.php” target=“_blank” rel=“noopener”>年度最佳防守球员将公布</a>。
文班亚马是三名决赛选手之一，与戈贝尔和迈阿密的巴姆·阿德巴约一起入围。戈贝尔被认为是第四次获得哈基姆·奥拉朱旺奖杯的大热门，但有一点是肯定的：他的胜利不会是全票。
“我们拭目以待吧，”文班亚马说。“我没有想太多。”
本周晚些时候，文班亚马的年度最佳新秀奖杯将运送到马刺队的总部。
当文班亚马最终用手掌大小的网球拍拿到它时，他已经为他家中的奖杯找到了完美的位置。
在壁橱的后面。
他计划让他的第一个主要 NBA 奖项——他完全支配的第一个证明——置之不理，直到它有更多的搭档为止。
“我希望它会被我以后的所作所为所掩盖，”文班亚马说。“我不想让它在任何程度上都让我放慢脚步。”
原文如下：
Victor Wembanyama reacts to his unanimous Rookie of the Year honor
[Image] NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA - APRIL 05: Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs reacts to a play during the second half of an NBA game against the New Orleans Pelicans at Smoothie King Center on April 05, 2024 in New Orleans, Louisiana.
Victor Wembanyama awoke Monday morning secure in the knowledge he would be named the NBA’s 2023-24 Rookie of the Year by day’s end.
The only question in his always-scorekeeping mind: How bad would the beating be?
“I was curious to see if it would be unanimous,” the Spurs’ wunderkind told the Express-News.
And why was that important to him?
“You know, it shows total domination,” Wembanyama said.
As far as total domination is concerned, this year’s Rookie of the Year balloting was as lopsided as a boxing bout between prime Mike Tyson and your accountant’s accountant.
Wembanyama indeed secured unanimity, with all 99 first-place ballots cast going to him.
His 495 total points in the voting walloped the second-place finisher, Oklahoma City center Chet Holmgren by 200.
In doing so, Wembanyama became the first French player to be named NBA Rookie of the Year and the third Spurs player, joining David Robinson in 1990 and Tim Duncan in 1998.
Before Monday, only five players in league history had earned Rookie of the Year unanimously — Robinson, Ralph Sampson, Blake Griffin, Damian Lillard and Karl-Anthony Towns.
Duncan was denied a unanimous decision when three rogue voters said “fahgeddaboutit” and cast their ballot for New Jersey’s Keith Van Horn instead.
Wembanyama would suffer no such villainy, taking the Wilt Chamberlain Trophy in a clean sweep.
The 20-year-old center said he almost forgot Monday was the big day until he showed up for a workout at the Spurs’ practice facility to find staff members finalizing plans for the announcement.
“I was just headed to practice to put in some work,” Wembanyama said. “Everybody here was kind of talking about it, but I wasn’t stressed about it.”
Before 6 p.m., all the preparations were in place.
The team had set up a Zoom link in one corner of the practice gym so Wembanyama could communicate with TNT’s Ernie Johnson, Charles Barkley, Shaquille O’Neal and Kenny Smith, who were charged with handling the formal announcement.
When O’Neal opened the envelope and read the expected name — Victor Wembanyama — the rookie remained stone faced.
That doesn’t mean Wembanyama was feeling nothing inside.
“It kind of reminded me of the draft when my name was called, since it was out of an envelope,” Wembanyama said. “So there was a little moment of silence for me to process it.”
After the announcement was made, Wembanyama was tasked with talking about his accomplishment — with the TNT crew, with more question-askers chiming in remotely for NBA TV, on a sit-down with an ESPN reporter and a chat with an Express-News writer
Thirty minutes into his rounds, the NBA’s newly minted Rookie of the Year needed a timeout.
“Can I have some water?” he asked, as a team staffer scurried off to find a bottle.
Indeed, there was much to talk about.
The No. 1 pick in last June’s draft, Wembanyama put up a rookie season resume rivaling the greatest in NBA annals.
He was the first player in NBA history — rookie or otherwise — to surpass 1,500 points, 700 rebounds, 250 assists, 250 blocks and 100 3-pointers in the same season.
He was the second rookie to lead the league in blocked shots, following Manute Bol (1985-86).
He collected 342 combined steals and blocks, the first rookie to surpass 300 since O’Neal in 1992-93.
He was the youngest player in league history to record a 20-20 game, the youngest to log a 5x5 game and the youngest to post a 40-20 game.
Wembanyama’s only regret was that all those milestones came mostly in defeat, as the Spurs finished their second consecutive campaign at 22-60.
Since the season wrapped up in April, Wembanyama has kept a keen eye on the NBA playoffs, watching with a mix of envy and studiousness. He is particularly invested in the Minnesota-Denver series, where his friend and fellow countryman, Rudy Gobert, is hoping to take down the defending champions.
One day soon Wembanyama hopes to occupy that kind of stage.
“I’m trying to learn from all of these experiences to help me when I get to play in a playoff game,” Wembanyama said. “Even though there’s nothing like experiencing it, you’ve still got to anticipate everything.”
That day, Wembanyama promises, is coming.
“I can’t even imagine it,” Wembanyama said, pondering postseason trips to come. “I hope we can make the city blow up with excitement. I’m excited to be part of this, but I’m excited for the fans too. I know we’re going to show them some good stuff.”
There is a chance Wembanyama might have to reintroduce himself to the TNT crew again Tuesday, when the NBA’s <a href=“https://www.expressnews.com/sports/spurs/article/defensive-year-wembanyama-s-odds-finalist-19444245.php” target=“_blank” rel=“noopener”>Defensive Player of the Year is scheduled to be announced</a>.
Wembanyama is one of three finalists, joining Gobert and Miami’s Bam Adebayo. Gobert is considered a heavy favorite to claim his fourth Hakeem Olajuwon Trophy, but this much is certain: His win will not be unanimous.
“We’ll see,” Wembanyama said. “I’m not overthinking it.”
Later this week, Wembanyama’s Rookie of the Year trophy will be shipped to Spurs headquarters.
When Wembanyama finally gets his tennis racket-sized hands on it, he has the perfect spot picked out for it at his house.
In the back of a closet.
He plans to keep his first major NBA award — his first testament to total domination — out of sight and out of mind until it has much more company.
“I want it to be overshadowed by what I do in the future,” Wembanyama said. “I don’t want it to push me in the slightest to slow down.”
By Jeff McDonald, Spurs Writer, via San Antonio Express-News