By Nick Moyle, Staff writer | San Antonio Express-News, 2024-06-03 16:02:00
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。
马刺队后卫德文特-格雷厄姆(Devonte’ Graham)在西班牙参加了为期四天的NBA“篮球无国界”(BWB)训练营.
四天的时间里，耐克球鞋在西班牙马拉加大使馆训练中心的硬木地板上发出的令人满足的摩擦声，一直回荡在教练德文特-格雷厄姆的耳畔。
这位马刺队后卫一直希望能踏足这座令人叹为观止的海滨城市，如今他终于实现了这个愿望，在NBA的“篮球无国界”(BWB)训练营中，他教授了来自欧洲的60位最优秀的男孩和女孩篮球新星。这些青少年来自25个不同的国家，但第一天可能存在的语言障碍很快就被一种他们都理解的通用语言所打破。
“说实话，我真的不知道会发生什么，”格雷厄姆说道。他是一位拥有六年NBA经验的老将，与犹他爵士队后卫科林-塞克斯顿(Collin Sexton)一起被提名为BWB教练。“幸运的是，他们大多数人都会说一些英语，并能理解一些(篮球)术语。当然，我用的是NBA的行话，所以可能需要示范一下。但总的来说，他们都理解我们说的内容。我们只跟他们说一次，他们就能马上明白。”
NBA第21届BWB训练营从5月31日至6月3日举行，全球合作伙伴耐克提供服装和鞋类。迄今为止，已有119位前学员进入NBA或WNBA，其中41位在2023-24赛季的NBA揭幕战阵容中。乔尔-恩比德(Joel Embiid)、谢伊-吉尔杰斯-亚历山大(Shai Gilgeous-Alexander)和马克-加索尔(Marc Gasol)是该活动的知名校友。
但说实话，格雷厄姆对这个由NBA和国际篮球联合会(FIBA)共同举办的年度国际盛会了解不多。因此，当一位BWB代表在马刺队训练结束后邀请他担任教练时，他感到十分惊讶。
“我当时有点摸不着头脑，”格雷厄姆上周末说。“但很显然，我不太紧张。我的意思是，这是篮球。我喜欢和孩子们在一起，教他们我所知道的关于这项运动的一切。并且做我自己，成为一名领导者。到目前为止，一切都进展顺利。”
与塞克斯顿、前WNBA球员阿玛亚-瓦尔德莫罗(Amaya Valdemoro)和安娜-蒙塔纳(Anna Montañana)，以及四位现任NBA助理教练一起，格雷厄姆指导营员们进行各种各样的训练和练习。如何执行挡拆，以及如何防守挡拆。如何解读防守。传球-挥臂-传球的训练。三分球大赛。激烈的五对五对抗赛。
马刺队后卫德文特-格雷厄姆在西班牙参加了为期四天的NBA“篮球无国界”(BWB)训练营.
这并不是格雷厄姆第一次手持哨子，身穿教练服。但这次与他在家乡北卡罗来纳州罗利市举办的免费训练营大不相同，为了配合每年八月的“德文特-格雷厄姆日”，他都会在那里举办训练营。
与那些只是开心参与的3至9岁的孩子们一起打球，当然是一件充满欢乐的事情。而管理一个训练营，其中包括代表各自青年国家队参赛并参加全球比赛的球员，则完全不同，并且令人大开眼界。
“太棒了，”格雷厄姆谈到BWB的才华时说道。“当我问他们‘你们是怎么找到这60个(球员)的？’他们告诉我他们一直都在 scouting 这些孩子，从他们14岁开始，一直跟踪观察，找出这些国家中最好的球员。这是一项庞大的工作，需要花费很多时间。而他们确实找到了30个实力强劲的女孩和30个实力强劲的男孩，他们都能打球。”
尽管他的本地训练营和BWB之间的技能水平存在巨大差异，但吸引格雷厄姆来到西班牙的原因却大体相同。(在“阳光海岸”享受一段时间，无疑是锦上添花。)
“我妈妈以前在家里开托儿所，”格雷厄姆说道。“所以我从小就喜欢和孩子们在一起，我从小就学会了(这一点的重要性)。但说实话，篮球是我的激情所在。无论是谁想向我学习，你知道的，我有一些知识，我能够帮助他们，教导他们。”
将这些知识传授给一群欧洲人，起初似乎很令人望而生畏。很快，格雷厄姆就意识到这些18岁以下的新星是多么优秀和善于学习。
“哦，说实话，他们的基本功比美国人强得多，”格雷厄姆说道。“他们拥有天赋，而且篮球智商很高。将来有一天，我们可能会看到其中的一些人进入NBA和WNBA。”
考虑到上赛季开始时，NBA阵容中共有125名国际球员，格雷厄姆并没有对所展现出来的技能感到惊讶。也许唯一真正的惊喜是没有人问他关于法国超级球星兼队友维克托-文班亚马(Victor Wembanyama)的问题，即使有六名法国球员参加了训练营。
相反，是马刺队前锋桑德罗-马穆凯拉什维利(Sandro Mamukelashvili)来自格鲁吉亚的名字引起了他们的兴趣。正在崛起的格鲁吉亚球星萨洛梅-斯瓦尼(Salome Svani)很想知道“和马穆一起打球是什么感觉”。
“令人惊讶的是，”格雷厄姆一边扬起眉毛一边说道，“自从我来到这里，还没有人问过我关于文班的问题。这可能还是第一次。”
随着他在马拉加的经历在周一结束，教练格雷厄姆准备回家，开始与马刺队一起进行另一轮比赛。
“我每年回来都是一样的：充满动力，做好自己的工作，领导团队，”格雷厄姆说道。“我们拭目以待吧。”
马刺队后卫德文特-格雷厄姆在西班牙参加了为期四天的NBA“篮球无国界”(BWB)训练营.
马刺队后卫德文特-格雷厄姆在西班牙参加了为期四天的NBA“篮球无国界”(BWB)训练营.
马刺队后卫德文特-格雷厄姆在西班牙参加了为期四天的NBA“篮球无国界”(BWB)训练营.
马刺队后卫德文特-格雷厄姆在西班牙参加了为期四天的NBA“篮球无国界”(BWB)训练营.
马刺队后卫德文特-格雷厄姆在西班牙参加了为期四天的NBA“篮球无国界”(BWB)训练营.
马刺队后卫德文特-格雷厄姆在西班牙参加了为期四天的NBA“篮球无国界”(BWB)训练营.
马刺队后卫德文特-格雷厄姆在西班牙参加了为期四天的NBA“篮球无国界”(BWB)训练营.
点击查看原文：Spurs' Graham journeys to Spain to coach at Basketball Without Borders
Spurs’ Graham journeys to Spain to coach at Basketball Without Borders
Spurs guard Devonte’ Graham spent four days in Spain coaching at the NBA’s Basketball Without Borders (BWB) camp.
For four days, the satisfying sound of Nikes screeching atop hardwood echoed through The Embassy Training Center in Málaga, Spain, rang in the ears of coach Devonte’ Graham.
The Spurs guard had long hoped to set foot in the breathtaking coastal city, and here he finally was, teaching up 60 of Europe’s best boys and girls prospects at the NBA’s Basketball Without Borders (BWB) camp. The teens hailed from 25 different countries, but whatever language barriers may have existed on Day 1 were soon razed by a language universal to them all.
“Honestly, man, I had no idea what to expect,” said Graham, a six-year NBA veteran who was nominated as a BWB coach along with Utah guard Collin Sexton. “Luckily, most of them kind of grasp a lot of English and (basketball) terminology. Obviously, I use NBA lingo so I might have to demonstrate it a little bit. But for the most part, they comprehend and understand what we’re talking about. We tell them what to do one time and they get it off the rip.”
The NBA’s 21st BWB camp ran from May 31 to June 3 with global partner Nike providing apparel and footwear. To date, 119 former campers have reached the NBA or WNBA – 41 were on opening-night rosters for the 2023-24 NBA season. Joel Embiid, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Marc Gasol are among the event’s notable alumni.
But truth be told, Graham didn’t know all that much about the annual international showcase co-hosted by the NBA and International Basketball Federation (FIBA). So it came as a surprise when a BWB rep approached him after a Spurs practice with an invitation to coach.
“I was kind of coming into it blindly,” Graham said last weekend. “But obviously, I wasn’t too nervous. I mean, it’s basketball. I love being around younger kids, teaching them what I know about the game. And just being myself, being a leader. It’s turned out to be great so far.”
Alongside Sexton, former WNBA players Amaya Valdemoro and Anna Montañana, and four current NBA assistant coaches, Graham guided the campers through all manner of drills and training exercises. How to run a pick-and-roll, and how to defend it. How to read a defense. Drive-swing-kick training. Three-point shooting contests. Fierce five-on-five scrimmages.
Spurs guard Devonte’ Graham spent four days in Spain coaching at the NBA’s Basketball Without Borders (BWB) camp.
This wasn’t exactly Graham’s first rodeo with a whistle and coaches polo on. But this was a far cry from the free camp he’s held in hometown Raleigh, North Carolina, to coincide with the city’s "Devonté Graham Day” every August.
Hooping with just-happy-to-be-here 3-to-9 year olds is, of course, a disorderly delight. Overseeing a camp featuring players who’ve starred for their youth national clubs and competed in global tournaments is altogether different – and eye-opening.
“It’s amazing,” Graham said of the talent at BWB. “When I asked them, ‘How did y’all find these 60 (players)?’ And they were telling me how they’ve been scouting and recruiting all these kids since they were like 14, finding the best to come from these countries. It’s just a big process that goes into it, so it definitely takes time. And they definitely got 30 solid girls and 30 solid guys who can hoop.”
Despite the chasm in skill level between his local camp and BWB, Graham was drawn to Spain for much the same reason. (Spending some time basking on the “Coast of the Sun” was, however, a nice sweetener.)
“My mom had an in-home daycare growing up,” Graham said. “So I’ve always been good around kids, and I learned (how important) that is at an early age. But honestly, basketball is my passion. Whoever wants to learn from me, you know, I got a little bit of knowledge, I can kind of help and teach.”
Imparting that knowledge to a hodgepodge of Europeans might have seemed daunting at first. It wasn’t long before Graham realized just how advanced and absorbent these 18-and-under prospects were.
“Oh, way more fundamental than Americans, honestly,” Graham said. “They have raw talent and they have great IQ. And one day, possibly, we’ll seen a couple of them from here in the NBA and WNBA.”
Considering 125 international players populated NBA rosters to begin last season, Graham wasn’t flabbergasted by the skill on display. Perhaps the only genuine surprise was that no one peppered him with questions about French superstar and teammate Victor Wembanyama, not even the six French players in attendance.
Instead, it was Spurs forward Sandro Mamukelashvili of Georgia whose name popped up as a source of intrigue. Rising Georgian star Salome Svani was eager to know “what it’s like playing with Mamu?"
“Surprisingly,” Graham said with an arched eyebrow, “no one’s asked me about Wemby since I’ve been here. That might be a first.”
As his experience in Málaga came to a close Monday, Coach Graham prepared to head back home to begin another spin with the Spurs.
“I come back every year same thing: motivated, do my part, leadership,” Graham said. “And we’ll see where it goes.”
Spurs guard Devonte’ Graham spent four days in Spain coaching at the NBA’s Basketball Without Borders (BWB) camp.
Spurs guard Devonte’ Graham spent four days in Spain coaching at the NBA’s Basketball Without Borders (BWB) camp.
Spurs guard Devonte’ Graham spent four days in Spain coaching at the NBA’s Basketball Without Borders (BWB) camp.
Spurs guard Devonte’ Graham spent four days in Spain coaching at the NBA’s Basketball Without Borders (BWB) camp.
Spurs guard Devonte’ Graham spent four days in Spain coaching at the NBA’s Basketball Without Borders (BWB) camp.
Spurs guard Devonte’ Graham spent four days in Spain coaching at the NBA’s Basketball Without Borders (BWB) camp.
Spurs guard Devonte’ Graham spent four days in Spain coaching at the NBA’s Basketball Without Borders (BWB) camp.
By Nick Moyle, Staff writer, via San Antonio Express-News