By Tom Orsborn, Staff writer | San Antonio Express-News (SAEN), 2024-07-16 13:59:48
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 10 日，在俄克拉荷马城举行的一场 NBA 篮球比赛下半场，圣安东尼奥马刺队后卫西迪·西索科(Sidy Cissoko)（25 号）在俄克拉荷马雷霆队中锋俾斯麦·比永博(Bismack Biyombo)（15 号）和前锋林迪·沃特斯三世(Lindy Waters III)（12 号）面前抢到一个篮板。
拉斯维加斯——无论是为队友在底角创造空位三分的机会，还是在转换进攻中为队友送出轻松扣篮，西迪·西索科(Sidy Cissoko)的组织能力一直是马刺队在夏季联赛中最大的亮点之一。
以至于马刺队主教练格雷格·波波维奇(Gregg Popovich)以一种惊人的方式对这位二年级后卫/前锋赞不绝口。
“他是我的梦中情人，”在西索科在周六以 83-77 战胜波特兰的比赛中送出三次助攻后，波波维奇在比赛中接受 ESPN 采访时说道。
“当我看到他的身体，看到他的力量、臂展、速度和爆发力，他有一种成为伟大传球手的自然倾向，而这些东西是我们无法真正教会的。他真的是一个很棒的传球手。显然，他还需要加强投篮。但是他的爆发力，他的速度，以及他用这样的身体打三号位，我认为他会成为一名特殊的球员。”
20 岁的西索科说，波波维奇的话“触动了他的心”。
“这是动力，”西索科说。“我现在每次打球都会想到这一点。我想成为伟大的球员。我想成为特别的存在。”
西索科在法国长大，他从小打控球后卫，后来经历了一次快速生长，身高达到现在的 6 英尺 7 英寸（约 2.01 米），体重 230 磅（约 104 公斤）。
“我以前不算矮，但我当时的身高非常适合打控球后卫，然后大约四年前我长高了，”他说。
他对他朋友梅尔文·阿金卡(Melvin Ajinca)的美好回忆记忆犹新，阿金卡是达拉斯独行侠队的一名身高 6 英尺 8 英寸（约 2.03 米）的二轮秀新秀前锋。
“我从我很小的时候就和他一起打了四年球，我一直在给他传球，”西索科说。
2024 年 4 月 10 日，在俄克拉荷马城举行的一场 NBA 篮球比赛上半场，俄克拉荷马雷霆队前锋杰伦·威廉姆斯(Jalen Williams)（8 号）突破圣安东尼奥马刺队后卫西迪·西索科的防守。
十几岁的时候，西索科研究了魔术师约翰逊(Magic Johnson)的比赛录像，他是这项运动中最伟大的组织者之一。和这位洛杉矶湖人队的传奇人物一样，西索科也从为队友创造机会中获得了巨大的快乐。
“我只是喜欢传球，”西索科说。“这向我的队友表明我信任他们。”
马刺队夏季联赛教练肯尼·特雷维诺(Kenny Trevino)和波波维奇一起，对西索科在对阵开拓者队的比赛中的表现赞不绝口。除了 10 次助攻外，他还得到 8 分、5 个篮板和 2 次抢断。
“我认为西迪的表现非常出色，”特雷维诺说。“他的防守强度很高。他在很多时候都带领我们进行转换进攻，他在场上的能量很有感染力。”
无论是来自特雷维诺、波波维奇，还是在托马斯和麦克中心为他加油的马刺队球迷，人们都在谈论着西索科的表现。他奔跑的方式、他的组织能力以及他在篮筐下终结进攻的能力，都让观众们感到高兴。
而这一切都是在 5 月份接受膝关节镜手术后还没有完全康复的情况下完成的。
“我的膝盖有点吓人，但我感觉很好，”他说。“我肯定还没有恢复到 100% 的状态，但能够打篮球是一种幸运。这是世界上最好的运动，所以我必须享受它。”
马刺队夏季联赛的两名控球后卫，新秀斯蒂芬·卡斯尔(Stephon Castle)和二年级球员贾马里·布耶(Jamaree Bouyea)，也注意到了西索科的组织能力。
“对于西迪来说，我觉得很多事情对他来说都是自然而然的，”卡斯尔说。“传球可能是篮球运动中最难教的技巧之一。但他有这种天赋，我觉得他能够和任何四个人一起在场上打球。”
2023 年 7 月 9 日，在拉斯维加斯举行的 2023 年 NBA 夏季联赛中，马刺队的西迪·西索科(Sidy Cissoko)（25 号）在对阵波特兰开拓者队的比赛中扣篮得分。开拓者队以 85-80 击败了马刺队。
布耶称西索科是一位“伟大的组织者”，并指出他的队友可能是从他在欧洲的教练那里学会了“如何分享球和以正确的方式打球”。
“当他很有侵略性地冲击篮筐时，他总是能做出正确的选择，”布耶说。“无论是扣篮还是传球给内线的大个子，他都能做出正确的选择。”
虽然波波维奇主要关注他的传球，但西索科表示，他的主要目标是继续提高防守水平。
“你必须了解自己在球队中的角色，”他说。“每个人都想成为得分手，想得到 20 分。但你必须抛开这些想法，专心防守。这是波波维奇喜欢的，也是（马刺队总经理）布莱恩·赖特(Brian Wrights)喜欢的。你必须这么做。”
“… 我知道有些人担心得分，担心投篮之类的事情，但对我来说，第一要务是防守。不要让任何人从我这里得分。”
在周日马刺队以 79-76 战胜亚特兰大老鹰队的比赛中，西索科在防守状元秀、 fellow Frenchman 扎卡里·里萨谢尔(Zaccharie Risacher)时提高了自己的防守强度。在西索科和其他人的严防死守下，里萨谢尔 12 投 4 中，其中三分球 7 投 1 中，得到 11 分。
“我喜欢他——他是联盟中另一个法国人——但这是一个成年人的联盟，所以我必须欢迎他来到这个联盟，这样他才能成为一名更好的射手，”西索科说。“但我祝他一切顺利。他会成为一名伟大的球员。因为他是一号秀，所以他会成为众矢之的。但他必须继续努力，要有侵略性，不要害怕比赛。”
考虑到波波维奇的赞扬，西索科在本赛季可能会在马刺队扮演更重要的角色，他在新秀赛季的大部分时间里都在 G 联赛的奥斯汀马刺队度过。他说，在他被第二轮选中进入 G 联赛点燃队（现已解散）效力一年后，他花了一段时间才适应这个角色。
“去年，我认为 G 联赛更像是一种惩罚，”他说。“但马刺队真的很喜欢我，他们把我送到那里是为了让我有一些上场时间，因为他们不想让我整个赛季都坐在 NBA 的板凳上。他们想让我上场打球，享受乐趣。”
看到波波维奇周六晚上和休赛期加盟的克里斯·保罗(Chris Paul)和哈里森·巴恩斯(Harrison Barnes)一起坐在场边，西索科更加确信马刺队致力于他的发展。
“他们对我们表达了爱，”他说。“他们会一直在我们身边。当你看到波波维奇、哈里森·巴恩斯和所有人时，这会激励你。这对我们有好处。”
点击查看原文：Popovich says Cissoko has makings of a 'very special player'
Popovich says Cissoko has makings of a ‘very special player’
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.
LAS VEGAS — Whether finding teammates in the corners for uncontested 3-pointers or feeding them in transition for easy dunks, Sidy Cissoko’s playmaking has been one of the biggest bright spots for the Spurs at Summer League.
So much so that it had Spurs coach Gregg Popovich singing the praises of the second-year guard/forward in striking fashion.
“He’s the dream in the back of my head,” Popovich told ESPN during an in-game interview after Cissoko recorded three assists in an 83-77 win over Portland on Saturday.
“When I look at his body, I look at his strength, his length, his quickness, his explosiveness. He has a natural inclination to be a great passer, things we can’t really teach. He is really a great passer. He has got to work on his shot, obviously. But the explosiveness, the foot speed he has, to play with that body at the three position, I think he is going to be a special player.”
Cissoko, 20, said Popovich’s words “touched his heart.”
“It is motivation,” Cissoko said. “I think about it now whenever I play in a game. I want to be great. I want to be something special.”
Growing up in France, Cissoko played point guard before experiencing a growth spurt that resulted in his current 6-foot-7, 230-pound frame.
“I was not short, but I had the perfect height to be a point guard and then I grew up probably four years ago,” he said.
He has fond memories of feeding the ball to his friend Melvin Ajinca, a second-round 6-8 rookie forward with Dallas.
“I was playing with him for four years since I was small and I was always looking for him,” Cissoko said.
Oklahoma City Thunder forward Jalen Williams (8) drives past San Antonio Spurs guard Sidy Cissoko during the first half of an NBA basketball game Wednesday, April 10, 2024, in Oklahoma City.
As a teenager, Cissoko studied video of Magic Johnson, one of the game’s greatest playmakers. Like the Los Angeles Lakers legend, Cissoko takes great joy from setting up a teammate.
“It just like to pass,” Cissoko said. “It shows my teammates I have trust in them.”
Spurs Summer League coach Kenny Trevino joined Popovich in heaping praise on Cissoko for his play against the Trail Blazers. In addition to his dimes, he also had eight points, five rebounds and two steals.
“I thought Sidy was phenomenal,” Trevino said. “His defensive intensity was great. He led us in transition a ton and his energy out there was contagious for the group.”
Whether it was coming from Trevino, Popovich or Spurs fans cheering him on at the Thomas & Mack Center, there was a buzz surrounding the play of Cissoko, who delighted the crowd with the way he ran the floor, his playmaking skills and his ability to finish strong at the rim.
And he did it all while still not fully recovered from the arthroscopic knee surgery he underwent in May.
“I had a little bit of a scare with my knee, but I feel great,” he said. “I’m not 100 percent, definitely, but it is a blessing just to be able to play basketball. It is the best sport in the world, so I have to enjoy that.”
The Summer Spurs’ two point guards, rookie Stephon Castle and two-year veteran Jamaree Bouyea, also have taken note of Cissoko’s playmaking skills.
“With Sidy, I feel like a lot of that stuff just really comes natural to him,” Castle said. “Passing is probably the one skill in basketball that is the hardest to teach. But he has that natural feel and I feel he’ll be able to play on the court with any four people.”
Spurs’ Sidy Cissoko (25) scores on a dunk against the Portland Trailblazers during the 2023 NBA Summer League games in Las Vegas on Sunday, July 9, 2023. Blazers defeated the Spurs, 85-80.
Bouyea called Cissoko a “great playmaker,” noting that his teammate probably learned how to “share the ball and play the right way” from his coaches in Europe.
“And when he is aggressive and getting downhill, he makes the right plays all the time,” Bouyea said. “Whether it’s a dunk or it’s a drop-off to a big, he is going to make the right play.”
While Popovich focused primarily on his passing, Cissoko said his primary focus is to continue to improve defensively.
“You have to know your role on the team,” he said. “Everyone wants to be the scorer, to score 20 points. But you have to get that out of your mind and just play defense. That’s what Pop likes, that’s what (Spurs general manager) Brian Wrights likes. You’ve got to do it.”
"… I know some people worry about points, stuff like that, shooting, but the first part for me is playing defense. Nobody get buckets on me.”
Cissoko ratcheted up his defensive intensity while guarding No. 1 overall pick and fellow Frenchman Zaccharie Risacher in the Spurs’ 79-76 win over the Atlanta Hawks on Sunday. With Cissoko and others hounding him, Risacher scored 11 points on an inefficient 4 of 12 from the field, including 1 of 7 from the 3-point stripe.
“I love him — he’s another French guy in the league — but it’s a grown-man league, so I got to welcome him into the league so he can get better as a shooter,” Cissoko said. “But I wish him the best. He’s going to be a great player. He is going to have a target on his head because he’s the first pick. But he’s got to keep hooping and be aggressive and not be scared to play.”
Given Popovich’s praise, Cissoko could have a larger role with the Spurs this coming season after spending most of his rookie season in the G League with the Austin Spurs. It was an assignment he said took him awhile to adjust to after he was drafted in the second round following a year with now-defunct G League Ignite.
“Last year, I thought the G League was more of a punishment,” he said. “But the Spurs really like me and they sent me there to have some playing time because they don’t want me to stay all year on the NBA bench. They want me to play and have fun.”
Seeing Popovich sitting courtside Saturday night along with offseason acquisitions Chris Paul and Harrison Barnes was further proof to Cissoko that the Spurs are committed to his development.
“They showed some love for us,” he said. “They are always going to be there for us. It motivates you when you see Pop, Harrison Barnes and everyone. That is good for us.”
By Tom Orsborn, Staff writer, via San Antonio Express-News