By Jeff McDonald, Staff Writer | San Antonio Express-News (SAEN), 2024-07-08 11:58:41
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。
2024年4月9日，在田纳西州孟菲斯，圣安东尼奥马刺队后卫西迪·西索科(25号)在与孟菲斯灰熊队的NBA篮球比赛上半场扣篮。（美联社照片/布兰登·迪尔）
加州萨克拉门托 – 正如任何一位碰巧效力于马刺队的优秀法国球员一样，前锋西迪·西索科一直密切关注着大洋彼岸的篮球赛事。
尽管西索科目前正随马刺队夏季联赛阵容驻扎在萨克拉门托，但他一直在关注法国国家队的热身赛，为即将到来的奥运会做准备。
其中一个时刻特别引起了他的注意。
“我看到了丹尼斯·施罗德(Dennis Schroeder)和埃文·富尼耶(Evan Fournier)之间的打架，”西索科说，他指的是周六在科隆举行的一场不太友好的比赛中，德国和法国后卫之间发生的冲突。“那很有趣。”
西索科也不得不承认：法国队的那位高个子球员也有一个相当不错的开局。
马刺队新秀维克多·文班亚马(Victor Wembanyama)在法国队战胜土耳其和德国的两场热身赛中场均得到26分，他在防守端展现了他一贯的破坏力，总体上已经像是奥运会赛场上最优秀的球员。
“我觉得他会在奥运会上做出一些特别的事情，”西索科说。
也许四年后，20岁的西索科将能够努力争取加入阵容强大的法国队，参加下一个奥运周期。
今年夏天，西索科的目标更加务实：他希望继续从5月份接受的膝盖小手术中恢复，并为在NBA的第二个赛季取得飞跃做好准备。
尽管西索科在新秀赛季只为马刺队出场12次，但他却是马刺队夏季联赛阵容中为数不多的拥有NBA经验的球员之一。
“当你在联盟的第一年，你会试图弄清楚该做什么，不该做什么，”西索科说。“我想我已经明白了，以及如何成为今年新秀的领导者。”
在球场上，由于右膝需要关节镜手术，西索科的夏季联赛开局有些缓慢。
在马刺队夏季联赛首场输给夏洛特的比赛中，他只打了18分钟，而在周日输给萨克拉门托的比赛中，他则完全没有上场。
在输给黄蜂队的比赛中，西索科5投1中得到8分，并抢下3个篮板。他在黄金一号中心的球场上，主要是为了出汗。
“我的上场时间有限制，所以我不能做太多事情，”西索科说。“但我只是喜欢在场上。”
西索科是马刺队在2023年选秀大会上的第二轮秀，而文班亚马是那届选秀大会的状元。在上赛季在发展联盟的比赛中，西索科展现出了强大的实力。
当他没有用他那霸凌式的防守摧毁对手的进攻时，西索科就在从锡达帕克到得梅因的各个球场上肆虐篮筐。
出于显而易见的原因，那个版本的西索科今年夏天还没有出现。
“我需要一些时间来恢复状态，”西索科说。“我还会打几场这样的比赛，但之后我就会准备好了。我知道人们会说我看起来很慢，但我并不担心。”
马刺队对西索科寄予厚望，希望他能在NBA取得成功，也许就在这个赛季。西索科身高6英尺7英寸，体重在减掉20磅后仍然有210磅，他的身材非常适合在NBA打球。
尽管他的跳投仍然需要很大的改进，但西索科在篮筐附近的爆发力在马刺队阵容中名列前茅。
当被问及他对西索科今年夏天的期望时，马刺队夏季联赛教练肯尼·特雷维诺(Kenny Trevino)列举了三点。没有一点与得分有关。
“带来能量，抢篮板，做好防守，”特雷维诺说。“我一点也不在乎他是否一分不得。他是一个组织者，他是一个进攻组织者，他是一个防守者。最重要的是，他防守得很卖力。”
西索科在上赛季发展联盟的比赛中场均得到15.5分、4.9个篮板和3.3次助攻。在短暂的NBA之旅中，他也有一些亮点，包括在4月份对阵孟菲斯和俄克拉荷马城的比赛中连续两场得分上双。
那些和西索科相处过一段时间的人已经注意到他的进步，即使他仍在从伤病中恢复。
马刺队夏季联赛阵容中的首发控球后卫贾马里·布耶(Jamaree Bouyea)上赛季在圣安东尼奥和奥斯汀都和西索科一起打过球。
“他已经展现出了巨大的进步，”布耶说。“他的跳投越来越好了。他每天都在健身房刻苦训练。他身边有合适的人帮助他。他的潜力是无限的。”
周二，夏季联赛马刺队将完成在萨克拉门托的比赛，届时他们将迎战中国国家队，西索科有机会在那场比赛中复出。然后他们将前往拉斯维加斯参加NBA夏季联赛的重头戏。
西索科已经准备好了。
就让文班亚马在这个夏天冲击奥运金牌吧。西索科还有一份不同的夏季工作要做。
“我只是在尽我所能地为新赛季做好准备，”西索科说。“我不想在联盟里只打四五年。我想打12年或15年。”
2023年10月13日，马刺队主教练格雷格·波波维奇(Gregg Popovich)在弗罗斯特中心与迈阿密热火队的季前赛中与西迪·西索科(25号)交流。
2024年4月9日，田纳西州孟菲斯：在联邦快递广场举行的比赛中，圣安东尼奥马刺队的西迪·西索科(25号)在上半场对阵孟菲斯灰熊队的比赛中做出反应。
2024年4月10日，在俄克拉荷马城，圣安东尼奥马刺队后卫西迪·西索科(25号)在与俄克拉荷马雷霆队的比赛下半场，在雷霆队中锋比斯马克·比永博(15号)和前锋林迪·沃特斯三世(12号)面前抢到一个篮板。（美联社照片/凯尔·菲利普斯）
点击查看原文：Spurs' Sidy Cissoko prepares for second-year leap
Spurs’ Sidy Cissoko prepares for second-year leap
San Antonio Spurs guard Sidy Cissoko (25) dunks against the Memphis Grizzlies in the first half of an NBA basketball game Tuesday, April 9, 2024, in Memphis, Tenn. (AP Photo/Brandon Dill)
SACARAMENTO, Calif. – Like any good Frenchman who happens to play for the Spurs, forward Sidy Cissoko has been playing rapt attention to basketball happening across the ocean.
Even as he is stationed with the Spurs’ Summer League squad in Sacramento, Cissoko has kept tabs on the French national team’s warmup games in preparation for the upcoming Olympics.
One moment in particular caught his attention.
“I saw a fight between Dennis Schroeder and Evan Fournier,” Cissoko said, referring to a scuffle between the German and French guards in a not-so-friendly match Saturday in Cologne. “That was funny.”
Cissoko also had to admit it: The tall guy for the French team is also off to a pretty good start, too.
Spurs rookie Victor Wembanyama averaged 26 points for France in a pair of exhibition victories over Turkey and Germany, doing his normal wrecking-ball things on defense and generally already looking like perhaps the best player in the Olympic field.
“I feel like he’s going to do something special in the Olympics,” Cissoko said.
Perhaps four years from now, the 20-year-old Cissoko will be able to make a push to join a stacked French roster for the next Olympic cycle.
This summer, Cissoko’s goals remain more modest: He wants to continue to heal from the minor knee procedure he underwent in May and prepare to take a leap in his second NBA season.
Though Cissoko only appeared in 12 games with the Spurs as a rookie, he stands as one of the few players on the Spurs’ Summer League roster with any NBA experience at all.
“When it’s your first year in the league, you try to figure out what to do and what not to do,” Cissoko said. “I think I understand that, and how to be a leader for the rookies from this year.”
On the court, Cissoko is off to something of a slow start to the summer thanks to a right knee issue that required arthroscopic surgery.
He was limited to 18 minutes of the Spurs’ Summer League-opening loss to Charlotte, and was held out of the team’s defeat against Sacramento on Sunday altogether.
Cissoko had eight points on 1-of-5 shooting in the loss to the Hornets, while grabbing three rebounds. Mostly, he was on the court at the Golden1 Center simply to break a sweat.
“I was on a minutes restriction so I can’t really do that much,” Cissoko said. “But I just like to be out there.”
Cissoko, the Spurs’ second-round pick in the 2023 draft highlighted by Wembanyama, was something of a force during his time in the G League last season.
When he wasn’t blowing up offenses with his bullying brand of defense, Cissoko was ripping down rims from Cedar Park to Des Moines.
For obvious reasons, that version of Cissoko has not yet been able to reappear this summer.
“It will take some time to get in shape,” Cissoko said. “I’m going to have a couple of games like that, but then I’ll be ready. I know people are going to say I look slow, but I’m not worried about that.”
The Spurs have high hopes Cissoko might make an impact at the NBA level, perhaps as soon as this season. At 6-foot-7 and still 210 pounds after a 20-pound weight loss, Cissoko has a body chiseled to play defense in the NBA.
Though his jumper remains a major work in progress, Cissoko’s explosion around the rim ranks among the best on the Spurs’ roster.
Asked what he expects from Cissoko this summer, Spurs Summer League coach Kenny Trevino named three items. None involved putting the ball in the basket.
“Bring energy, rebound the ball and play defense,” Trevino said. “I couldn’t care less if he scores zero points. He’s a facilitator, he’s a playmaker and he is a defender. Bottom line, he defends his tail off.”
Cissoko averaged 15.5 points, 4.9 rebounds and 3.3 assists in the G League last season. He had his moments during a brief NBA cameo, including back-to-back double-digit scoring nights against Memphis and Oklahoma City in April.
Those who have spent time around Cissoko have noticed the uptick in his development, even as he works his way back from injury.
Jamaree Bouyea, the starting point guard on the Spurs’ summer roster, played with Cissoko in both San Antonio and Austin last season.
“He’s shown big growth,” Bouyea said. “His jump shot is getting better. He’s in the gym working hard every day. He’s got the right people around him, helping him out. The sky’s the limit for him.”
Cissoko has a chance to return to the lineup Tuesday, as the Summer Spurs complete their stay in Sacramento with a game against the Chinese national team. Then it is on to the NBA’s marquee summer showcase in Las Vegas.
Cissoko is ready for it.
Let Wembanyama have his run to potential Olympic gold this summer. Cissoko has a different summertime job in store.
“I’m just trying to get ready for the season as best I can,” Cissoko said. “I don’t want to just have four or five years in the league. I want to have 12 or 15 years.”
Spurs’ Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich shares words with Sidy Cissoko (25) during their pre-season game against the Miami Heat at the Frost Center on Oct. 13, 2023.
MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE - APRIL 09: Sidy Cissoko #25 of the San Antonio Spurs reacts during the first half against the Memphis Grizzlies at FedExForum on April 09, 2024 in Memphis, Tennessee.
San Antonio Spurs guard Sidy Cissoko (25) grabs a rebound before Oklahoma City Thunder center Bismack Biyombo (15) and forward Lindy Waters III (12) in the second half of an NBA basketball game, Wednesday, April 10, 2024, in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Kyle Phillips)
By Jeff McDonald, Staff Writer, via San Antonio Express-News