1998-05-02, By Dan Cook
小将军终于找到了永久的家
他被交易、被买断、被转手，次数比一辆1956年的斯蒂庞克汽车还多。他的老板比一个贫困家庭里的一件旧皮夹克还多，他的教练比圣母大学还多。他上的学校比大多数教授还多。
他是一个所有人都想留住但却没人留住的人，是廉价商店里的一颗稀世珍宝。
他被赞扬过，被欢呼过，被嘲笑过，也被奚落过。
然而，这一切都没有削弱艾弗里·约翰逊(Avery Johnson)高昂的精神和顽强的决心。
马刺队阵容中最矮小的巨人，却是一个特别的人。就像陈年佳酿，他每年都在变得越来越好。
当然，如果他没有在季后赛中对阵菲尼克斯的比赛中发挥如此重要的作用，帮助马刺队取得系列赛的胜利，那么这一切都不会被写在这里。即使在他前几场比赛中表现出色，也因为队友们的出色表现而被许多人忽视。
但在周三晚上第四场比赛中，当局势最紧张时，当大卫·罗宾逊(David Robinson)和蒂姆·邓肯(Tim Duncan)被夹击时，是内外结合的艾弗里和查克·帕森(Chuck Person)站了出来，掌控了局面。
小艾弗里灵活地穿梭于内线，快速突破上篮，柔和的勾手投篮，而“神枪手”帕森则在外线频频命中，六记三分球精准入网。
最终，艾弗里砍下30分，帕森贡献18分，两人联手打出一场大胜，将圣安东尼奥带进了第二轮。
有趣的是，大多数人都认为帕森是即将退役的老将，而艾弗里则是一个年轻球员。但这是因为帕森的背部伤痛已困扰他好几个月了，而且他已经打了12个NBA赛季，比艾弗里多了两个赛季。
不过，这位小个子控卫在去年3月就已年满33岁，而帕森直到6月下旬才满34岁。
我们都认同，大学课程是为了让学生为他们未来生活中将要面临的挑战做好准备。
对艾弗里来说，情况确实如此。
这位路易斯安那州人，在大学第一个赛季效力于新墨西哥初级学院，第二个赛季效力于卡梅隆大学，最后两个赛季效力于南方大学。
尽管艾弗里在南方大学的两年中都领跑全美助攻榜，并且保持着一系列NCAA纪录，但他仍然在1988年的NBA选秀中落选。
那么，从一所学校跳到另一所学校的经历是如何让他为职业生涯做好准备的呢？
现在，让我们看看他在NBA的历程。
(1) 1988年，他作为自由球员与西雅图队签约。(2) 1990年被交易到丹佛队。(3) 两个月后被丹佛队放弃，并于1991年以自由球员身份与马刺队签约。(4) 11个月后被马刺队放弃，并于1992年与休斯顿队签约。(5) 1992年11月，他再次与马刺队签约。(6) 11个月后，被马刺队放弃，并于1993年与金州勇士队签约。(7) 1994年，他再次以自由球员身份与马刺队签约。
请记住，在大部分交易中，艾弗里的薪水都是联盟最低工资。这对一名职业运动员来说并不理想，但他的工资仍然比美国总统的年薪高。而且，这肯定比为生活奔波要好。
现在，好日子终于来临了，而且来得正是时候。去年，他签署了一份新的合同，年薪高达数百万美元。
当然，这对我们大多数人来说，就像拥有钻石和新凯迪拉克一样，但这对于一支优秀球队的主力控卫来说，只是平均水平。
艾弗里·约翰逊是NBA中为数不多的身高不足6英尺的球员之一，但他却拥有强大的内心和超强的耐力。
点击查看原文：Little general finally found permanent home
Little general finally found permanent home
He’s been traded, bought and sold more times than a '56 Studebaker. He’s had more owners than an old leather jacket in a poor family, more coaches than Notre Dame. He’s attended more schools than most professors.
He’s a keeper whom nobody keeps, a rare jewel in a bargain- basement sale.
He’s been praised, cheered, ridiculed and jeered.
Nothing, however, ever has dampened the high spirit and fierce determination of Avery Johnson.
The littlest big man on the Spurs’ squad is something special. Like good wine, he just keeps getting better every year.
Sure, none of this would have been written here had he not played such a dominant role in giving the Spurs a playoff-series victory over Phoenix. Even his fine play in the first games escaped the attention of many as bigger teammates dominated.
But when the stakes were highest in the fourth game Wednesday night, when David Robinson and Tim Duncan were boxed in and often double-teamed, it was Mr. Inside and Mr. Outside who assumed command.
Little Avery snaked his way in for quick layups and soft hook shots while the Rifleman, Chuck Person, connected at long range, swishing six three-pointers through the hoop.
And so it was that the one called AJ netted 30 points and Person piled 18 on top of that, enough for a blowout that moved San Antonio into the second round.
It’s sort of funny how most folks see Person as the old pro nearing retirement while AJ comes across as a younger player. But that’s because Person has been nursing a sore back for so many months, and he’s now completing his 12th NBA season, two more than Avery.
Nevertheless, the little point guard turned 33 last March, and Person won’t be 34 until late June.
We may all agree that college chores are intended to prepare students for the struggles that they’ll face later in life.
It sure worked that way with AJ.
A Louisiana native, he played his freshman season at New Mexico Junior College, his sophomore year at Cameron University, and his junior and senior seasons at Southern.
Even though AJ led the NCAA in assists in both his years at Southern and still holds a string of NCAA records, he was not selected in the '88 NBA draft.
So how did all of that bouncing from one school to another prepare him for a career as a pro?
We’ll now check his NBA moves to this point.
(1) He signed with Seattle as a free agent in '88. (2) Traded to Denver in '90. (3) Waived by Denver two months later and signed by the Spurs as a free agent in '91. (4) Waived by the Spurs 11 months later and signed by Houston in '92. (5) Signed by the Spurs - again - in November of '92. (6) Eleven months later released by the Spurs snd signed by Golden State in '93. (7) Signed as a free agent by the Spurs - again - in '94.
Keep in mind that throughout much of that trading, AJ carried a minimum-wage salary tag. That’s not particularly good for a pro athlete, but the pay still is more than the president of the United States makes. And it sure beats working for a living.
Now, however, the good times are here for AJ, and none too soon. Last year, he signed a new contract calling for several million a season.
That, of course, sounds like big diamond and new Cadillac money to most of us, but it’s just average pay for a starting point guard on a good team.
Avery Johnson is one of the few NBA players who stands under 6- feet, but he comes loaded with a lot of heart and great stamina.
By Dan Cook, via San Antonio Express-News