By Jeff McDonald, Staff Writer | San Antonio Express-News (SAEN), 2024-07-05 12:26:24
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，在胜利资本训练中心，马刺队的两位新秀哈里森·英格拉姆（左）和斯蒂芬·卡斯尔（Stephon Castle）在与媒体和受邀嘉宾见面时相视而笑。
萨克拉门托 – 对于即将到来的第二次马刺队夏季联赛之旅，西迪·西索科(Sidy Cissoko)预计会比第一次低调很多。
当然，去年夏天跟随马刺队前往萨克拉门托和拉斯维加斯的媒体大军将会减少。
“出于某种原因，”西索科狡黠地笑着说，“我不知道为什么。”
这个原因身高 7 英尺 3 英寸，名叫维克托·文班亚马(Victor Wembanyama)，他将代表自己的祖国法国参加今年的巴黎奥运会，而不是参加任何一场 NBA 夏季联赛。
即使马刺队在去年没有带文班亚马前往萨克拉门托，而是选择在拉斯维加斯安排了两场比赛让这位 2023 年的状元秀完成首秀，但关于这位跨时代超级巨星的问题仍然如影随形。
今年的马刺队夏季联赛阵容中没有像文班亚马这样的明星球员。但这并不意味着在 2024 年夏季联赛马刺队于周六在萨克拉门托黄金一号中心迎战夏洛特黄蜂队的比赛中，就没有值得关注的故事情节。
以下是五个值得关注的看点：
1. 斯蒂芬·卡斯尔的跳投状态如何？
马刺队用第四顺位选中了卡斯尔，这位来自康涅狄格大学的 6 英尺 6 英寸的后卫，凭借其顽强的防守和出色的篮球智商，自然而然地成为了帮助球队更上一层楼的选择。
他也是一位久经考验的赢家，在康涅狄格大学去年夺得 NCAA 总冠军的征程中，他一度是队内表现最好的球员。
这位 19 岁的卡斯尔在选秀过程中唯一的缺陷就是他不稳定的跳投。在他的大学生涯中，卡斯尔的 3 分球命中率只有 26.7%，这个数字显然无法在 NBA 立足。
马刺队相信，无论是什么原因导致了卡斯尔的跳投问题，最终都是可以解决的，理由是他的基本功扎实，罚球命中率也相当不错（75.5%）。
卡斯尔在大学里并不需要扮演射手的角色，场均只有 2.2 次三分球出手。马刺队内部的一些人认为，他在康涅狄格大学的低命中率更多是由于样本量小，而不是其他原因。
卡斯尔不需要在萨克拉门托或拉斯维加斯大放异彩来证明他的选秀顺位。然而，如果他能做到这一点，当然也没有坏处。
2. 哈里森·英格拉姆最擅长的技术是什么？
英格拉姆是马刺队在 2024 年选秀大会上选中的另一名球员，他来自北卡罗来纳大学，是一位全能型球员。
英格拉姆在第二轮第 48 顺位被选中，他在斯坦福大学效力了两个赛季，担任控球前锋的角色，之后转学到北卡罗来纳大学，焦油人队将他用作空间型四号位。
上赛季，英格拉姆在北卡罗来纳大学场均得到 12.2 分和 8.8 个篮板。他可以控球，并且在今年的选秀大会上被评为防守悍将。
当被问及他认为自己最擅长的技术是什么时，21 岁的英格拉姆提到了他的外线投篮。
“我对自己的接球就投三分球很有信心，”英格拉姆说道，他在北卡罗来纳大学的三分球命中率为 38.5%。
夏季联赛的有趣之处在于，它可以让我们提前了解马刺队将如何使用这位多才多艺的二轮秀。
3. 我们能看到多少西索科的比赛？
作为去年的二轮秀，20 岁的西索科在 5 月份接受了一次轻微的膝部手术后，现在才刚刚恢复状态。
西索科表示，他打算参加萨克拉门托和拉斯维加斯的夏季联赛，不过马刺队表示，他们可能会在他的恢复过程中采取更加谨慎的态度。在这种情况下，西索科可能只会参加拉斯维加斯的比赛。
这位身高 6 英尺 7 英寸的西索科有理由在某个时候重返赛场。如果在夏季联赛中表现出色，西索科（新秀赛季在 NBA 出战了 12 场比赛）可能会争取在马刺队的主要阵容中扮演更重要的角色。
西索科在马刺队夏季训练营开始时减掉了 20 磅的体重，如果身体健康，他可能会迎来爆发。
4. 马刺队真的想毁掉夏季联赛吗？
多年来，NBA 夏季联赛已经赢得了“有趣”的良好声誉。对许多人来说，“有趣”意味着高得分和精彩的投篮。防守是可有可无的。
然而，今年的马刺队阵容似乎是要颠覆这种观念。他们在得分高手方面的不足，可以用防守悍将的数量来弥补。
卡斯尔是队中唯一的一位首轮秀，而防守可能是他目前最擅长的技术。英格拉姆和西索科也以防守能力著称。后卫大卫·杜克(David Duke Jr.)也是如此，他拥有三年的 NBA 经验，是队内经验最丰富的球员。
由于队内有这么多以防守为主的球员，马刺队的许多夏季联赛比赛都有可能变成防守大战。
防守可能不会吸引球迷（即使是在夏季联赛期间），但它可以让马刺队在萨克拉门托和拉斯维加斯保持竞争力。
5. 马刺队的夏季联赛教练在拉斯维加斯的赌场会被要求出示身份证吗？
录像协调员肯尼·特雷维诺(Kenny Trevino)将首次担任马刺队夏季联赛的主教练。根据他的出生证明，这位娃娃脸的特雷维诺今年 31 岁。
“我知道，”他说，“我看上去像 19 岁。”
由于其他几位教练组成员都去国家队任职了，包括助理教练米奇·约翰逊（美国队）和马特·尼尔森（澳大利亚队），特雷维诺得到了执教马刺队夏季联赛的机会。约翰逊和尼尔森都曾执教过夏季联赛球队。
特雷维诺是拉雷多人，20 年前，他从德克萨斯大学圣安东尼奥分校毕业后，以球童的身份加入马刺队，开始了他的职业生涯。
特雷维诺希望最终能像菲尼克斯太阳队主教练迈克·布登霍尔泽、犹他爵士队主教练威尔·哈迪以及前奥兰多魔术队和夏洛特黄蜂队主教练詹姆斯·博雷戈（现在是新奥尔良鹈鹕队的助理教练）那样，从马刺队的录像分析师转型为主教练。
“我现在在这里，这就是我关心的全部，”特雷维诺说，“我喜欢在录像分析室工作，我喜欢和我一起工作的同事，所以我对这次机会感到兴奋。”
在 2023 年 7 月 7 日星期五于拉斯维加斯举行的 NBA 夏季联赛中，马刺队的西迪·西索科（25 号）试图封盖夏洛特黄蜂队的布莱斯·麦戈文斯（Bryce McGowens，7 号）。马刺队以 76-68 击败了夏洛特黄蜂队。
周六上午，在胜利资本训练中心，马刺队新秀斯蒂芬·卡斯尔在与媒体和受邀嘉宾见面后练习三分球。
2024 年 6 月 27 日，纽约州纽约市，哈里森·英格拉姆在 ESPN 海港区演播室举行的 2024 年 NBA 选秀大会上在第二轮第 48 顺位被圣安东尼奥马刺队选中后接受媒体采访。
周六上午，在胜利资本训练中心，马刺队新秀哈里森·英格拉姆与媒体和受邀嘉宾见面。
2024 年 4 月 14 日星期日，在圣安东尼奥举行的一场 NBA 比赛中，圣安东尼奥马刺队后卫小大卫·杜克（左）在底特律活塞队后卫马利克·蒙克（中）和后卫特洛伊·布朗（右）的防守下突破上篮。（美联社照片/迈克尔·托马斯）
2024 年 4 月 10 日星期三，在俄克拉荷马城举行的一场 NBA 比赛的上半场，俄克拉荷马雷霆队后卫谢伊·吉尔杰斯-亚历山大（右）在圣安东尼奥马刺队后卫小大卫·杜克的防守下突破上篮。
点击查看原文：No Wemby, but plenty to watch as Summer Spurs tip off
No Wemby, but plenty to watch as Summer Spurs tip off
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.
SACRAMENTO – Sidy Cissoko is expecting his second foray with the Spurs’ summer league to be lower key than his first.
Certainly, the media crush that tailed the Spurs to Sacramento and Las Vegas last summer will be whittled.
“For some reason,” Cissoko said with a sly grin. “I don’t know why.”
That reason stands 7-foot-3, is named Victor Wembanyama and will be playing for his native France in this year’s Paris Olympics instead of playing in any of the NBA Summer Leagues.
Even when the Spurs held Wembanyama out of last year’s trip to Sacramento, choosing to use a pair of games in Vegas for the 2023 No. 1 draft pick to make his debut, questions about the generational superstar-to-be followed them everywhere.
This year’s Spurs Summer League team doesn’t feature Wembanyama levels of celebrity star power. That doesn’t mean there are not storylines worth following as the 2024 Summer Spurs tip off the California Classic on Saturday against Charlotte at Sacramento’s Golden1 Center.
Here are five:
1. What is the state of Stephon Castle’s jumper?
The Spurs spent the No. 4 overall pick on Castle, a 6-6 guard from Connecticut whose dogged defense and heady basketball acumen make him a natural selection to help the team take a leap forward.
He is also a proven winner, having been at times the best player during UConn’s run to last year’s NCAA national championship.
The only knock on the 19-year-old Castle coming into the draft process was his errant jump shot. Castle made only 26.7% of his 3-point tries during his lone college season, a mark that clearly will not cut it in the NBA.
The Spurs are confident whatever ails Castle’s jump shot is ultimately fixable, citing good basic mechanics and a decent enough free-throw percentage (75.5%).
Castle was not called upon to be a shooter in college, averaging only 2.2 3-point attempts per game. Some within the Spurs’ organization believe his poor conversion rate at UConn stems from a small sample size more than anything else.
Castle does not need to set the nets aflame in Sacramento or Las Vegas to justify his draft slot. It certainly wouldn’t hurt, however.
2. What is Harrison Ingram’s best skill?
The Spurs’ other 2024 draft pick on the Summer League roster, Ingram arrives from North Carolina as something of an jack-of-all-trades.
Drafted with the No. 48 pick in the second round, Ingram spent two seasons playing as a point-forward at Stanford before transferring to UNC, where the Tar Heels used him in something of a stretch-four role.
Ingram averaged 12.2 points and 8.8 rebounds for North Carolina last season. He can handle the ball and graded out as a plus-defender in this year’s draft class.
Asked to single out what he believes to be his best skill, the 21-year-old Ingram pointed to his perimeter shot.
“I feel very confident in my catch-and-shoot 3-point game,” said Ingram, who hit 38.5% from beyond the arc at North Carolina.
One of the interesting facets of Summer League will be the early look it provides at how the Spurs intend to deploy their versatile second rounder.
3. How much Cissoko will we see?
Last year’s second-round pick, the 20-year-old Cissoko is just now getting up to speed after undergoing a minor knee procedure in May.
Cissoko says he intends to play in both the Sacramento and Las Vegas Summer Leagues, though the Spurs have indicated they might choose to play it a little safer with his recovery. In that case, Cissoko could be limited to Vegas duty only.
There is impetus for the 6-foot-7 Cissoko to get on the floor at some point. With an impressive summer, Cissoko – who made a 12-game cameo in the NBA as a rookie – could make a play for a larger role on the Spurs’ main roster.
Cissoko arrived at the start of Spurs’ summer camp having lost 20 pounds and could be in line for a breakout, health willing.
4. Are the Spurs really trying to ruin Summer League?
Over the years, NBA Summer League has burnished a well-earned reputation for being, well, fun. For many, fun means high point scoring and shot-making. Defense is optional.
This year’s Spurs roster, meanwhile, seems built to turn that idea upside down. What the team lacks in star scorers, it makes up for with lockdown defenders.
Castle is the only first-round pick on the team, and defense is probably his best skill at this point. Ingram and Cissoko are also known for their defensive prowess. So is guard David Duke Jr., who with three years of NBA service time on his resume rates as the roster’s most experienced player.
With so many defense-first players lurking, there is a chance for many of the Spurs summer games to turn into rock fights.
Defense might not sell tickets – not even during the summer – but it could keep the Spurs competitive in Sacramento and Las Vegas.
5. Will the Spurs’ Summer coach get carded at the Las Vegas casinos?
Video coordinator Kenny Trevino will serve as the Spurs’ summer league coach for the first time. According to his birth certificate, the baby-faced Trevino is 31 years old.
“I know,” he said, “I look 19.”
Trevino drew the Spurs’ summer gig with a handful of other staffers away on Olympic team assignments, including bench assistants Mitch Johnson (Team USA) and Matt Neilsen (Team Australia). Both Johnson and Neilsen have coached Summer League teams in the past.
A Laredo native, Trevino began his Spurs career 20 years ago when – fresh out of college at UTSA – he joined the team as a ball boy.
Trevino hopes to eventually take the leap from the Spurs’ video room to a head coaching job, following the leads of Phoenix coach Mike Budenholzer, Utah coach Will Hardy and former Orlando and Charlotte coach James Borrego, who is now an assistant in New Orleans.
“I’m here now and that’s all that I care about,” Trevino said. “I’m in that video room and I love it. I love the crew that I’m with in that video room, so I’m excited for this opportunity.”
Spurs’ Sidy Cissoko (25) attempts to block a shot against Charlotte Hornets’ Bryce McGowens (07) during the 2023 NBA Summer League game in Las Vegas on Friday, July 7, 2023. Spurs defeated Charlotte, 76-68.
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 27: Harrison Ingram speaks to the media after being selected by the San Antonio Spurs with the 48th pick during the second round of the 2024 NBA Draft at ESPN Seaport District Studios on June 27, 2024 in New York City.
Spurs draft pick Harrison Ingram speaks to the media and invited guests Saturday at the Victory Capital Performance Center Saturday morning.
San Antonio Spurs guard David Duke, Jr., left, drives to the basket against Detroit Pistons guard Malachi Flynn, center, and guard Troy Brown, Jr., right, during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Sunday, April 14, 2024, in San Antonio. (AP Photo/Michael Thomas)
Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, right, drives against San Antonio Spurs guard David Duke Jr. during the first half of an NBA basketball game Wednesday, April 10, 2024, in Oklahoma City.
By Jeff McDonald, Staff Writer, via San Antonio Express-News