By Jacob Douglas | Pounding The Rock (PtR), 2024-08-12 04:57:25
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。
这位马刺队的内线球员在世界最大的体育舞台上学习了如何才能取得胜利。
维克托·文班亚马 (Victor Wembanyama) 拍着手，为观众喝彩。这是圣安东尼奥马刺队的球迷们已经习以为常的景象。在为球队效力的第一年里，这位巨人就表现出了与其年龄不相符的成熟，并对能穿上银黑相间的球衣心存感激。而这一次，在 2024 年巴黎奥运会男篮决赛中输给美国队后，情况有所不同。
文班亚马泪洒赛场。如果不是被誉为史上最佳射手的斯蒂芬·库里 (Stephen Curry) 一连串的三分球，文班的脖子上就应该挂着金牌了。法国队的胜利不仅会为这位 20 岁的现象级球员带来他的第一枚奥运金牌，也将是法国队在该项目上的首枚奥运金牌。如果这一切发生在巴黎，那该是多么的 fitting！这位年轻的内线球员深知这一刻的分量。这场失利或许会将他推向另一个高度。
“我正在学习，我为几年后的对手们感到担忧，”文班亚马在赛后告诉记者。
当被问及他指的是国际篮联比赛还是 NBA 时，文班回答说：“所有比赛。”
正是这些时刻造就了一位超级巨星的冠军之路。勒布朗·詹姆斯 (LeBron James) 在赢得总冠军之前，也曾在 NBA 总决赛 中两次失利。阻止文班亚马赢得金牌的库里，也是在经历了季后赛的磨练后，才成为王朝球队的最佳球员。文班亚马的不同之处在于，他在职业生涯的早期就获得了这些宝贵的经验。
奥运会的结束为文班的新秀赛季画上了圆满的句号。在他的第一个 NBA 赛季中，他获得了年度最佳新秀，年度最佳防守球员评选中排名第二，场均得分 20 分，篮板 10 个，并带领法国队获得了银牌。他还与丹尼斯·施罗德 (Dennis Schröder)、库里、詹姆斯和尼古拉·约基奇 (Nikola Jokic) 一起入选了奥运最佳阵容。文班亚马是本届奥运会的最佳新星。仅仅一个赛季，他就已经建立了令人印象深刻的履历。大多数有影响力的新秀都没有机会获得这样的荣誉，并在有意义的比赛中打出胜利的篮球。
马刺队本赛季战绩不佳，但文班亚马在奥运会上获得了季后赛级别的经验。在整个比赛中，他都是对方防守的焦点。对手们把他挤出他的位置，在他背身单打时对他进行包夹，迫使他成为一名外线投手和组织者。在没有其他稳定的得分点的支持下，所有的目光都集中在文班亚马身上，而他也成功地完成了任务。他在金牌争夺战中得到 26 分，并领衔法国队得分榜。
当然，他也遇到了很多困难。对手们能够扰乱他的得分节奏，并在一段时间内将他淘汰出局。在那些时间段里，他仍然是一名组织者和防守支柱，这表明即使他没有得分，他也能在高风险的情况下影响比赛。他还意识到，当防守球员对他严防死守时，他需要在篮下和外线都有一些必杀技和应对策略。他在巴黎的表现并不完美，但这段学习经历应该能帮助他在参加 NBA 季后赛 或 2028 年洛杉矶奥运会时，能够轻车熟路。
在奥运会之前，篮球界就已经对文班亚马的未来充满期待。这个休赛期（如果还能称之为休赛期的话）对他成长为未来的冠军至关重要。奥运会证明了他已经能够与世界上最优秀的球员竞争。这段经历所获得的经验，应该会让他在与其他年轻球员竞争马刺队未来多年的冠军之路上占据优势。文班亚马因失利而流下的泪水，或许很快就会变成喜悦的泪水。
点击查看原文：Wembanyama’s Olympic lumps are crucial to his development
Wembanyama’s Olympic lumps are crucial to his development
The Spurs big man learned what it takes to win on the biggest stage in sports.
Victor Wembanyama clapped his hands, praising the crowd. It’s a sight San Antonio Spurs fans are used to. In his first year with the franchise, the giant has proven to be mature beyond his years and grateful for the chance to don the Silver and Black. This time, after a loss in the gold medal game to the United States in the 2024 Paris Olympics, something was different.
Wembanyama left the court with tears in his eyes. If not for a barrage of three-pointers from arguably the best shooter of all time, Stephen Curry, Wemby would have gold hanging from his neck. Not only would a France win give the 20-year-old phenom his first gold medal, but it would have been the first time the country won Olympic gold in the sport. How fitting would it have been for it to happen in Paris? The weight of this moment wasn’t lost on the young big man. The defeat may just propel him to another level.
“I’m learning, and I’m worried for the opponents in a couple of years,” Wembanyama told reporters after the game.
When asked if he meant in FIBA play or the NBA, Wemby responded: “Everywhere.”
These moments are what make a superstar a champion. LeBron James had to lose in the NBA Finals twice before he won a title. The same player that prevented Wembanyama from winning the gold medal, Curry, took his lumps in the playoffs before becoming the best player in a dynasty. The difference with Wembanyama is he is getting these experiences incredibly early in his career.
The end of the Olympics ties a bow on Wemby’s rookie season. In his first season in the NBA, he won Rookie of the Year, finished second in Defensive Player of the Year, averaged 20 and 10, and then won his country a silver medal. He was named to the Olympic All-Star Five along with Dennis Schröder, Curry, James and Nikola Jokic. Wembanyama was the Rising Star of the tournament. He’s already building a strong resume after just one season. Most impactful rookies don’t get the chance to earn accolades like this and play meaningful winning basketball.
The Spurs had a poor record this season, but Wembanyama got playoff experience in the Olympics. Throughout the event, he was the focal point of opposing defenses. They pushed him off his spot, sent double teams on post touches and forced him to be an outside shotmaker and playmaker. Without another consistent scoring presence, all eyes were on Wembanyama and he delivered. He had 26 points in the gold medal game and led France in scoring for the Olympics.
He took plenty of lumps too. Teams were able to disrupt his scoring rhythm and take him out of the game in spurts. During those periods he was still a playmaker and defensive anchor, showing he can impact the game in high-stakes situations, even if he isn’t scoring. He’s also learning the need for go-to moves and counters around the basket and on the perimeter when defenses key in on him. He wasn’t perfect in Paris, but this learning experience should help him hit the ground running whenever he makes the NBA Playoffs or the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles.
The basketball world was already scared of what Wembanyama could become before the Olympics. This offseason (if you can even call it that) was crucial for his development into a future champion. The Olympics proved he can compete with the best of the best already. The experience gained here should give him an edge over other young players as he looks to compete for titles in San Antonio for years to come. Wembanyama’s Olympic tears of defeat may turn to tears of joy sooner than we all think.
By Jacob Douglas, via Pounding The Rock