By Jeff McDonald, Staff writer | San Antonio Express-News (SAEN), 2024-07-03 15:24:37
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。
周六上午，马刺新秀斯蒂芬·卡斯尔(Stephon Castle)在胜利资本表演中心接受媒体采访。
斯蒂芬·卡斯尔(Stephon Castle)希望在马刺队度过漫长而硕果累累的职业生涯，而在他参加球队夏季联赛阵容的三次训练中，他的队友们已经从这位新秀身上看到了各种各样的东西。
他们看到卡斯尔在防守球员中强行上篮和扣篮。他们看到他飞奔过球场抢断。在一个至少可以部分平息人们对卡斯尔选秀前技术质疑的事件中，马刺队甚至看到他投进了一两个三分球。
然而，虽然马刺队在短时间内从这位NBA第四顺位新秀身上看到了很多东西，但他们听到的却很少。
“他话不多，这是肯定的，”二年级前锋西迪·西索科(Sidy Cissoko)说。
事实证明，19岁的卡斯尔更喜欢做一个沉默寡言的人，满足于用自己的比赛来说话。
再加上这位身高6英尺6英寸的后卫似乎在很多方面都符合另一种著名的银黑色“斯芬克斯”蒂姆·邓肯(Tim Duncan)所倡导的文化。
“他是一个坚忍的人，”马刺队夏季联赛教练肯尼·特雷沃(Kenny Trevino)这样评价卡斯尔。“他犯的任何错误，他都不会表现得太明显。他打的任何好球，他也不会表现得太兴奋。”
卡斯尔并不否认特雷沃对他的第一印象。
“我觉得这很准确，”卡斯尔说。“我一整天都很平静。不会兴奋过头，也不会太低落。”
这并不是说在周六于萨克拉门托开始加州经典赛的夏季联赛马刺队训练场上，卡斯尔很容易被人忽视。
这位前康涅狄格大学球星一直在以自己坚忍的方式发出非常响亮的声音。早期报道称，卡斯尔显然是夏季训练营中表现最好的球员。
在某种程度上，这是意料之中的：卡斯尔是这群渴望获得NBA阵容席位（或者至少是发展联盟的邀请）的球员中，顺位最高的球员。
尽管如此，即使是第四顺位的新秀，有时也会难以适应与成年人对抗的比赛。
如果说卡斯尔对比赛强度从大学水平提升感到惊讶的话，那他也很好地掩饰了这一点。
“那小子很强硬，”同样是新秀的哈里森·英格拉姆(Harrison Ingram)说，他在北卡罗来纳大学毕业后被马刺队以第48顺位选中。“他又高又壮，运动能力强，还能在篮下得分。而且他的投篮比人们想象的要好。”
马刺队认为卡斯尔是一位体型巨大的后卫，嗅觉灵敏，喜欢打充满激情的防守。到目前为止，这份球探报告看起来是准确的。
卡斯尔承认，他在第一次训练中花了j几分钟才让自己恢复到最佳状态。
从周三在纽约被选中到周一夏季联赛训练开始，这期间的旋风般行程并没有给他留下太多打球的空间。
“在选秀前的过程中，你没有机会进行很多实战，”卡斯尔说。“所以这是在消除一些生锈的地方。理解比赛的速度和身体对抗，提高我的决策能力等等。”
英格拉姆在本周参加马刺队的第一次正式训练时，也是晕头转向的。
前一分钟，英格拉姆还在纽约市一个临时搭建的等候室里，祈祷着能在第二轮听到任何一支球队叫到他的名字。下一分钟，他就来到了圣安东尼奥，见到了格雷格·波波维奇(Gregg Popovich)，与蒂姆·邓肯握手，还在河边步道与马努·吉诺比利(Manu Ginobili)共进晚餐。
“伙计，能来到这里真是太疯狂了，”身高6英尺6英寸的摇摆人英格拉姆说，他在转学到北卡罗来纳大学一年之前，在斯坦福大学打了两个赛季的大学篮球。“我现在仍然觉得这一切都不真实。”
周三，英格拉姆加班加点地参加了卡斯尔在训练结束后接受当地记者采访的环节，并向这位新秀抛出了一个又一个问题。
“现在已经训练三天了，”英格拉姆问道。“我看到你得了很多分，但我还没见过你真正庆祝过。你最喜欢的庆祝动作是什么？”
“我没有最喜欢的庆祝动作，”卡斯尔笑着说。“我只是在冷静，兄弟。”
卡斯尔说，从他在亚特兰大郊外成长为一名预科明星开始，他就一直是一个严肃认真的球员。
“这就是我的本来面目，”卡斯尔说。“一夜之间就改变这一点真的很困难，但这才是真正的我。”
卡斯尔说，他冷静的性格是父母性格的折衷。用卡斯尔的话说，他的母亲昆内特(Quannette)就像教堂里的老鼠一样低调。
至于他的父亲史黛西(Stacey)？那是另一回事，要用不同的音量来讲述。
“我爸爸经常都很兴奋，”卡斯尔笑着说，“所以我介于两者之间。”
马刺队预计，随着卡斯尔变得更加适应，他会逐渐走出自己的舒适区。他们不打算强迫他成为他不喜欢的样子。
“他很沉稳，这是一件好事，对吧？”特雷沃说。“当他开始打得好的时候，你会看到他的一些情绪。”
在他NBA职业生涯的早期阶段，卡斯尔仍然满足于埋头苦干，专注于自己的工作。
卡斯尔将在周六对阵夏洛特队的比赛中迎来他在萨克拉门托的首秀。卡斯尔的目標是让自己被看到，即使不被听到。
“我迫不及待地想开始在一场真正的比赛中上场了，”卡斯尔说。“能来到这里，参加训练、锻炼，面对真实的防守，感觉很棒。但再次在一场真正的比赛中上场，那将会很有趣。”
2024年6月26日，纽约州纽约市，在布鲁克林区的巴克莱中心举行的2024年NBA选秀大会上，斯蒂芬·卡斯尔在首轮第四顺位被圣安东尼奥马刺队选中后做出反应。
2024年6月26日，在纽约市巴克莱中心举行的2024年NBA选秀大会上，斯蒂芬·卡斯尔。
2024年6月26日，纽约州纽约市，在布鲁克林区的巴克莱中心举行的2024年NBA选秀大会上，斯蒂芬·卡斯尔在首轮第四顺位被圣安东尼奥马刺队选中后与多诺万·克林根(Donovan Clingan)庆祝。
2024年6月26日，纽约州纽约市，在布鲁克林区的巴克莱中心举行的2024年NBA选秀大会上，斯蒂芬·卡斯尔(右)在首轮第四顺位被圣安东尼奥马刺队选中后与NBA总裁亚当·萧华(Adam Silver)(左)握手。?
2024年6月26日，纽约州纽约市，在布鲁克林区的巴克莱中心举行的2024年NBA选秀大会首轮比赛中，康涅狄格大学爱斯基摩犬队主教练丹·赫尔利(Dan Hurley)与斯蒂芬·卡斯尔和多诺万·克林根交谈。
2024年6月26日，纽约州纽约市，在布鲁克林区的巴克莱中心举行的2024年NBA选秀大会上，斯蒂芬·卡斯尔在首轮第四顺位被圣安东尼奥马刺队选中后做出反应。
在布鲁克林区的巴克莱中心举行的2024年NBA选秀大会上，斯蒂芬·卡斯尔在首轮第四顺位被圣安东尼奥马刺队选中后做出反应。
在布鲁克林区的巴克莱中心举行的2024年NBA选秀大会上，斯蒂芬·卡斯尔在首轮第四顺位被圣安东尼奥马刺队选中后做出反应。?
2024年6月26日，纽约州纽约市，在布鲁克林区的巴克莱中心举行的2024年NBA选秀大会上，斯蒂芬·卡斯尔在首轮第四顺位被圣安东尼奥马刺队选中后做出反应。(图片来自莎拉·斯蒂尔/盖蒂图片社)
2024年6月26日，在纽约市巴克莱中心举行的2024年NBA选秀大会上，斯蒂芬·卡斯尔。(图片来自史蒂夫·艾希纳/WWD，通过盖蒂图片社)
周六上午，在胜利资本表演中心，马刺队新秀哈里森·英格拉姆(左)和斯蒂芬·卡斯尔在被介绍给媒体和受邀嘉宾时大笑。
周六上午，马刺队新秀斯蒂芬·卡斯尔在胜利资本表演中心接受媒体和受邀嘉宾的采访。
周六上午，马刺队新秀斯蒂芬·卡斯尔在胜利资本表演中心被介绍给媒体和受邀嘉宾后，投进了一些三分球。
2024年6月26日，纽约州纽约市，在布鲁克林区的巴克莱中心举行的2024年NBA选秀大会上，斯蒂芬·卡斯尔在首轮第四顺位被圣安东尼奥马刺队选中后做出反应。(图片来自莎拉·斯蒂尔/盖蒂图片社)
点击查看原文：Low-key Castle already making noise with Summer Spurs
Low-key Castle already making noise with Summer Spurs
Spurs draft pick Stephon Castle speaks to the media Saturday at the Victory Capital Performance Center Saturday morning.
Three practices into what Stephon Castle hopes will be a long and fruitful Spurs career, his teammates on the club’s summer squad have seen a little bit of everything from the new rookie.
They have seen Castle bully his way through defenders for layups and dunks. They have seen him fly across the court for steals. In a turn of events that should at least partially calm the one pre-draft worry about Castle’s skill set, the Spurs have even seen him make a 3-pointer or two.
While the Spurs have seen much from the NBA’s No. 4 overall pick in a short amount of time, however, they have heard very little.
“He don’t talk a lot yet, for sure,” second-year forward Sidy Cissoko said.
The 19-year-old Castle, it turns out, prefers to be the strong, silent type, content to let his play do the talking.
Add that to the myriad ways the 6-foot-6 guard seems to fit into the culture that another famous silver-and-black Sphinx named Tim Duncan made famous.
“He’s a stoic person,” Spurs summer league coach Kenny Trevino said of Castle. “Any mistake he makes, he doesn’t really show it too much. Any good play he makes, he doesn’t show it too much.”
Castle did not deny Trevino’s first impression of him.
“I’d say that’s pretty accurate,” Castle said. “I’m just calm throughout the day. Don’t get riled up, don’t get too low.”
That isn’t to say Castle has been easy to miss on the practice court with the Summer Spurs, who begin play at the California Classic in Sacramento on Saturday.
The former Connecticut star has been making a very loud noise in his own stoic way. Early reports say Castle has been clearly the best player in summer camp.
In a way, that is to be expected: Castle is the highest-drafted player among the collection of hopefuls aiming for a spot on an NBA roster — or at least an invitation to the G League.
Still, even No. 4 overall draft picks can sometimes struggle initially with the adjustment to playing against grown men.
If Castle has been surprised at the level up in competition from college, he has done a good job of hiding it.
“That boy’s tough,” said fellow rookie Harrison Ingram, who the Spurs selected 48th overall out of North Carolina. “He’s big, he’s athletic, he can finish at the rim. And he can shoot it better than people thought.”
The Spurs view Castle as an oversized, physical guard with a nose for the rim and a penchant for playing hair-on-fire defense. That scouting report appears accurate so far.
Castle acknowledged it took him a few minutes of the first practice to work himself back up to full speed.
The whirlwind between being drafted Wednesday in New York and the opening of Summer League practices Monday did not leave much room for hooping.
“Just with the pre-draft process, you don’t get to play a lot live,” Castle said. “So it was knocking off a little bit of that rust. Understanding the speed of the game and the physicality, improving my decision-making and stuff.”
Ingram, too, showed up to his first official Spurs practice this week with his head still spinning.
One minute Ingram was in a makeshift green room in New York City, fingers crossed to hear his name called by any team with a second-round pick. The next he is in San Antonio, meeting Gregg Popovich, shaking hands with Tim Duncan and having dinner with Manu Ginobili on the Riverwalk.
“Man, it has been crazy just to be here,” said Ingram, a 6-6 swingman who played two college seasons at Stanford before transferring to North Carolina for a year. “It still doesn’t even feel real.”
Ingram worked overtime Wednesday, crashing Castle’s post-practice interview session with local reporters and peppering his fellow draftee with questions.
“It’s been three days of practice now,” Ingram began. “I’ve seen you score a lot, but I haven’t seen you really celebrate. What’s your go-to celebration?”
“I don’t got no go-to celebrations,” Castle said with a smile. “I just be cooling, bro.”
Castle says he has always been a no-nonsense player, dating to his days as a prep star growing up outside of Atlanta.
“That’s really just how I am,” Castle said. “It is really hard to change that overnight, but that’s just authentically me.”
Castle said his coolheaded nature comes as a comprise between his parents’ personalities. To hear Castle tell it, his mother Quannette is as low-key as a church mouse.
As for his father, Stacey? That’s a different story, told at a different volume.
“My dad’s kind of on 10 a lot,” Castle said, chuckling, “So I’m in kind of the middle area.”
The Spurs expect Castle will come out of his shell a bit as he becomes more comfortable. They don’t plan on forcing him to be someone he is not.
“He’s even keeled, which is a good thing right?” Trevino said. “When he starts to play well, you will see some of that emotion.”
At this early stage of his NBA career, Castle is still content to put his head down, his blinders on and quietly get to work.
His Spurs debut comes Saturday in Sacramento against a team from Charlotte. Castle aims to make himself seen, even if he isn’t heard.
“I can’t wait to start playing in an actual game,” Castle said. “It’s great being here, just practicing and the workouts and having a live defense go against you. But to play in a real game again, that’s going to be fun.”
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JUNE 26: Stephon Castle reacts after being drafted fourth overall by the San Antonio Spurs during the first round of the 2024 NBA Draft at Barclays Center on June 26, 2024 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City.
Stephon Castle at the 2024 NBA Draft held at the Barclays Center on June 26, 2024 in New York City.
Stephon Castle celebrates with Donovan Clingan after being drafted fourth overall by the San Antonio Spurs during the first round of the 2024 NBA Draft at Barclays Center on June 26, 2024 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City.
Stephon Castle (R) shakes hands with NBA commissioner Adam Silver (L) after being drafted fourth overall by the San Antonio Spurs during the first round of the 2024 NBA Draft at Barclays Center on June 26, 2024 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City.?
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JUNE 26: Uconn Huskies head coach Dan Hurley speaks with Stephon Castle and Donovan Clingan during the first round of the 2024 NBA Draft at Barclays Center on June 26, 2024 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JUNE 26: Stephon Castle reacts after being drafted fourth overall by the San Antonio Spurs during the first round of the 2024 NBA Draft at Barclays Center on June 26, 2024 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City.
Stephon Castle reacts after being drafted fourth overall by the San Antonio Spurs during the first round of the 2024 NBA Draft at Barclays Center on June 26, 2024 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City.
Stephon Castle reacts after being drafted fourth overall by the San Antonio Spurs during the first round of the 2024 NBA Draft at Barclays Center on June 26, 2024 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City.?
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JUNE 26: Stephon Castle reacts after being drafted fourth overall by the San Antonio Spurs during the first round of the 2024 NBA Draft at Barclays Center on June 26, 2024 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images)
Stephon Castle at the 2024 NBA Draft held at the Barclays Center on June 26, 2024 in New York City. (Photo by Steve Eichner/WWD via Getty Images)
Spurs draft picks Harrison Ingram, left, and Stephon Castle laugh Saturday morning at the Victory Capital Performance Center Saturday as the Spurs draft picks were introduced to the media and invited guests.
Spurs draft pick Stephon Castle speaks to the media and invited guests Saturday at the Victory Capital Performance Center Saturday morning.
Spurs draft pick Stephon Castle shoots some three-pointers after his introduction to the media and invited guests Saturday at the Victory Capital Performance Center Saturday morning.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JUNE 26: Stephon Castle reacts after being drafted fourth overall by the San Antonio Spurs during the first round of the 2024 NBA Draft at Barclays Center on June 26, 2024 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images)
By Jeff McDonald, Staff writer, via San Antonio Express-News