By Mike Finger, Columnist | San Antonio Express-News (SAEN), 2024-09-30 16:55:19
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。
周一上午，马刺队球员维克托·文班亚马在胜利资本训练中心举行的马刺队媒体日活动上回答问题。
奥运会结束后，维克托·文班亚马一头扎进了篮球实验室。他在那里潜心开发的技术并不会改变比赛，也不会让球迷为之疯狂。
事实上，大多数人可能会觉得文班亚马休赛期实验的结果乏善可陈。
但这正是他的目标。
你看，如果这位卫冕NBA年度最佳新秀从他在联盟的第一个赛季以及随后在巴黎赢得银牌的表现中学到了什么，那就是他不需要练习新的高光动作。单手交叉步过人、背后传球和自抛自扣对他来说都是信手拈来，这些都是即兴发挥的例子。
文班亚马今年夏天想要做的事情要更加细致，更加科学。他在马刺队季前赛媒体日上表示，他的目标是“在非常简单的情况下创造优势”。
通俗地说？
身高 2 米 24 的他比任何防守者都高。他比他们离篮筐更近。每次他触球时，物理定律都应该对他有利，即使这看起来很单调。
如果这听起来简单得可笑，嗯，的确如此，但只是一定程度上。这不仅仅是因为文班亚马很高。他在那个身高下所拥有的前所未有的技术组合——他的射程、他的速度、他的直觉——应该会让他势不可挡，尤其是当他掌握了一些可以反复使用的基本动作之后。
这不仅仅是一位自以为是的报纸专栏作家的观点。在文班亚马新秀赛季中期，一位在马刺队工作多年的工作人员做出了一个预测。
“当维克托学会了蒂姆(邓肯)所做的事情，”这位工作人员说，“我们的比赛将会变得非常无聊。”
维克托谈到他压力山大的奥运之旅：pic.twitter.com/6Chpw7cfYH
— 汤姆·奥斯伯恩(@ tom_orsborn) 2024 年 9 月 30 日
在像圣安东尼奥这样的球队，这是最终的赞美。在他职业生涯的一年里，这位 20 岁的球员将此铭记于心。
这并不是说他打算完全模仿邓肯的比赛风格。文班亚马仍然会带领一些快攻，他仍然会在 11 米外投篮，他仍然会从罚球线的一侧起飞，并以某种方式完成从另一侧篮筐的单臂暴扣，而且他仍然会在每个晚上即兴表演三到四个令人费解的疯狂动作，在 NBA 球馆里营造出那种熟悉的震惊、敬畏和欢笑的混合氛围。
但这些并不是让马刺队再次成为竞争者的原因。真正意味着球队已经迈出下一步的是，在关键比赛的关键时刻，当每个人都知道接下来会发生什么的时候，文班亚马拿到球，并使用他整晚都在使用的同一个动作。
他知道这很无聊。
他也知道这无法阻挡。
就像邓肯过去那样。
文班亚马周一在谈到他的夏季篮球实验室工作时并没有那么具体，但他确实强调了简单性。
“我致力于完成那些对其他任何球员来说都可能看起来很自然的事情，”文班亚马说。
矛盾的是，文班亚马本可以承担的最平凡的项目，对他防守他的对手来说也可能是最可怕的。尤其是现在，他将受益于克里斯·保罗(Chris Paul)的空中接力传球，保罗是他这一代人中最优秀的挡拆控球后卫，想到文班亚马在篮筐附近微调他的投篮，这让其他球队不得不怀疑他们将如何阻止他。
队友德文·瓦塞尔(Devin Vassell)预测，这个改进版的文班亚马对联盟来说将是“可怕的”，这与文班亚马本人 8 月份在奥运会上脖子上挂着银牌时所说的话相呼应。当时，他说他“担心几年后对手的处境”。
对手们可能不需要那么久就会开始担心了。在法国队输给美国队的金牌争夺战中，文班亚马得到 26 分，并将勒布朗·詹姆斯(LeBron James)、斯蒂芬·库里(Steph Curry) 和凯文·杜兰特(Kevin Durant) 逼入绝境，他展示了他在圣安东尼奥马刺队从未经历过的压力下的能力。
主教练格雷格·波波维奇(Gregg Popovich) 称奥运会是“对他来说，可以说是很棒的小型培养皿”。文班亚马说，在他所谓的“我一生中最激烈的体育经历”中，他学到了重要的一课。
“这很容易，”文班亚马说，“输掉比赛。”
文班亚马解释说，如果你没有注意到每一个细节，这就会在一瞬间发生。所以，当全世界都在等待下一个跨越两腿、欣喜若狂的病毒式精彩瞬间时？
文班亚马看到了依赖更可靠的东西的价值。从休赛期的实验室走出来后，他已经准备好像往常一样让大众为之疯狂。
但如果他也能让他们感到无聊呢？
那就是马刺队知道他又迈出了一步的时候。
周一上午，马刺队球员维克托·文班亚马和新加盟的克里斯·保罗在胜利资本训练中心举行的马刺队媒体日活动上合影留念。
周一上午，马刺队球员维克托·文班亚马在胜利资本训练中心举行的马刺队媒体日活动上回答问题。
周一上午，马刺队球员维克托·文班亚马在胜利资本训练中心举行的马刺队媒体日活动上回答问题。
周一上午，马刺队新援克里斯·保罗在胜利资本训练中心举行的马刺队媒体日活动上拍照。
周一上午，马刺队新援克里斯·保罗在胜利资本训练中心举行的马刺队媒体日活动上拍照。
周一上午，马刺队新秀斯蒂芬·卡斯尔(Stephon Castle)在胜利资本训练中心举行的马刺队媒体日活动上摆姿势拍照。
周一上午，马刺队球员杰里米·索汉(Jeremy Sochan)在胜利资本训练中心举行的马刺队媒体日活动上摆姿势拍照。
周一上午，马刺队球员维克托·文班亚马在胜利资本训练中心举行的马刺队媒体日活动上拍照。
周一上午，马刺队球员维克托·文班亚马在胜利资本训练中心举行的马刺队媒体日活动上拍照。
周一上午，马刺队球员维克托·文班亚马在胜利资本训练中心举行的马刺队媒体日活动上拍照。
周一上午，马刺队球员维克托·文班亚马在胜利资本训练中心举行的马刺队媒体日活动上拍照。
周一上午，马刺队球员维克托·文班亚马在胜利资本训练中心举行的马刺队媒体日活动上拍照。
周一上午，马刺队新援克里斯·保罗在胜利资本训练中心举行的马刺队媒体日活动上拍照。
周一上午，马刺队新援克里斯·保罗在胜利资本训练中心举行的马刺队媒体日活动上向媒体成员致意。
周一上午，马刺队球员哈里森·巴恩斯(Harrison Barnes)在胜利资本训练中心举行的马刺队媒体日活动上摆姿势拍照。
周一上午，马刺队状元秀斯蒂芬·卡斯尔在胜利资本训练中心举行的马刺队媒体日活动上拍照。
周一上午，特雷·琼斯(Tre Jones)在胜利资本训练中心举行的马刺队媒体日活动上微笑。
周一上午，马刺队球员朱利安·尚帕尼(Julian Champagnie)在胜利资本训练中心举行的马刺队媒体日活动上拍照。
周一上午，马刺队球员哈里森·巴恩斯在胜利资本训练中心举行的马刺队媒体日活动上讲话。
周一上午，马刺队球员哈里森·巴恩斯在胜利资本训练中心举行的马刺队媒体日活动上摆姿势拍照。
周一上午，马刺队球员布莱克·韦斯利(Blake Wesley)在胜利资本训练中心举行的马刺队媒体日活动上摆姿势拍照。
周一上午，马刺队球员德文·瓦塞尔在胜利资本训练中心举行的马刺队媒体日活动上摆姿势拍照。
周一上午，马刺队球员凯尔登·约翰逊(Keldon Johnson)在胜利资本训练中心举行的马刺队媒体日活动上摆姿势拍照。
周一上午，杰里米·索汉在胜利资本训练中心举行的马刺队媒体日活动上。
周一上午，马刺队球员马基·巴恩斯(Maiski Barnes)在胜利资本训练中心举行的马刺队媒体日活动上摆姿势拍照。
周一上午，在胜利资本训练中心举行的马刺队媒体日活动期间。
周一上午，马刺队球员维克托·文班亚马在胜利资本训练中心举行的马刺队媒体日活动上拍照。
周一上午，马刺队球员马拉奇·弗林(Malachi Flynn)在胜利资本训练中心举行的马刺队媒体日活动上。
周一上午，马刺队球员内森·门萨(Nathan Mensah)在胜利资本训练中心举行的马刺队媒体日活动上。
周一上午，马刺队球员布兰登·波士顿(Brandon Boston)在胜利资本训练中心举行的马刺队媒体日活动上。
周一上午，马刺队主教练格雷格·波波维奇在胜利资本训练中心举行的马刺队媒体日活动上讲话。
周一上午，马刺队球员桑德罗·马穆克拉什维利(Sandro Mamukelashvili)在胜利资本训练中心举行的马刺队媒体日活动上。
周一上午，马刺队主教练格雷格·波波维奇在胜利资本训练中心举行的马刺队媒体日活动上讲话。
周一上午，马刺队主教练格雷格·波波维奇在胜利资本训练中心举行的马刺队媒体日活动上讲话。
周一上午，马刺队主教练格雷格·波波维奇在胜利资本训练中心举行的马刺队媒体日活动上讲话。
周一上午，马刺队主教练格雷格·波波维奇在胜利资本训练中心举行的马刺队媒体日活动上拍照后露出笑容。
周一上午，在胜利资本训练中心举行的马刺队媒体日活动期间。
周一上午，马刺队球员维克托·文班亚马和新加盟的克里斯·保罗在胜利资本训练中心举行的马刺队媒体日活动上合影留念。
周一上午，马刺队球员维克托·文班亚马在胜利资本训练中心举行的马刺队媒体日活动上拍照。
周一上午，马刺队新援克里斯·保罗在胜利资本训练中心举行的马刺队媒体日活动上拍照。
周一上午，马刺队球员朱利安·尚帕尼在胜利资本训练中心举行的马刺队媒体日活动上为队友特雷·琼斯拍照。
周一上午，马刺队主教练格雷格·波波维奇在胜利资本训练中心举行的马刺队媒体日活动上讲话。
点击查看原文：Victor Wembanyama's next step? Boring as Tim Duncan did
Victor Wembanyama’s next step? Boring as Tim Duncan did
Spurs Victor Wembanyama answers question during Spurs Media Day activities Monday morning at the Victory Capital Performance Center.
After the Olympics, Victor Wembanyama went into the basketball laboratory. What he worked on developing there will not change the game, nor will it electrify the masses.
In fact, most people might find the results of Wembanyama’s offseason experimentation thoroughly unexciting.
That’s the goal, anyway.
See, if the reigning NBA rookie of the year learned anything during his first go-round in the league and his subsequent silver medal-winning performance in Paris, it was that he doesn’t need to practice a new highlight-reel move. One-handed crossovers, wraparound passes and self-serve off-the-glass assists are great, but they’re all examples of improvisation, which comes naturally to him.
What Wembanyama wanted to do this summer was much more meticulous, much more scientific. His purpose, he said Monday at the Spurs’ preseason media day, was “making an advantage out of really simple situations.”
In layman’s terms?
At 7-foot-3 ½, he’s taller than every defender. He’s closer to the rim than they are. Physics should work in his favor, each and every time he touches the ball, even if it gets monotonous.
If this sounds laughably oversimplistic, well, it is, but only to a certain degree. It’s not just that Wembanyama is tall. His unprecedented set of skills at that height – his shooting range, his quickness, his instincts – should make him unstoppable, especially if he masters a few fundamental moves he can go to over and over again.
This is not just the opinion of some know-it-all newspaper columnist. Midway through Wembanyama’s rookie year, a longtime Spurs staffer made a prediction.
“When Victor learns what Tim (Duncan) did,” the staffer said, “our games are going to be really boring.”
Victor on his pressure-packed Olympics: pic.twitter.com/6Chpw7cfYH
— Tom Orsborn (@ tom_orsborn) September 30, 2024
In an organization like San Antonio’s, that is the ultimate compliment. And a year into his career, the 20-year-old has taken it to heart.
It’s not that he intends to model his entire game after Duncan. Wembanyama still is going to lead some fast-breaks, and he’s still going to pull up from 35 feet, and he’s still going to take off from one side of the paint and somehow finish an outstretched dunk from the opposite block, and every night he’s still going to ad-lib three or four inexplicably wild plays that create that familiar mix of shock and awe and laughter in NBA arenas.
But those aren’t the plays that are going to turn the Spurs into contenders again. What will truly mean the team has taken the next step is when, with big games on the line, and with everybody knowing what’s coming, Wembanyama gets the ball and uses the same move he’s used all night.
Knowing it’s boring.
And knowing it can’t be stopped.
Just like Duncan used to do.
Wembanyama wasn’t that specific Monday when talking about his summer hoops lab work, but he did emphasize simplicity.
“I worked on finishing things that might look and be natural to any other player,” Wembanyama said.
The paradox here is that the most mundane project Wembanyama could have undertaken might also be the most terrifying for the opponents who have to guard him. Especially now that he will have the benefit of lob passes from Chris Paul, the premier pick-and-roll point guard of his generation, the thought of Wembanyama fine-tuning his shot-making at the rim has to make teams wonder how they’re ever going to stop him.
Teammate Devin Vassell predicted this improved version of Wembanyama will be “scary for the league,” and that echoes something Wembanyama himself said with a silver medal hanging from his neck at the Olympics in August. Back then, he said he was “worried for the opponents in a couple of years.”
It might not take that long for the opponents to start worrying, too. In Team France’s gold-medal loss to Team USA, when Wembanyama scored 26 points and took LeBron James, Steph Curry and Kevin Durant down to the wire, he showed what he can do under pressure he never faced as an NBA rookie in San Antonio.
Coach Gregg Popovich called the Olympics “a wonderful little Petri dish for him, so to speak.” And during what he called “the most intense sports experience of my life,” Wembanyama said he learned something important.
“It’s very easy,” Wembanyama said, “to lose games.”
If you’re not paying attention to every detail, Wembanyama explained, that can happen in the snap of a finger. So while the world waits for the next between-the-legs, over-the-moon viral wow moment?
Wembanyama sees the value of depending on something more reliable. Having emerged from the offseason laboratory, he’s ready to electrify the masses, as always.
But if he can bore them, too?
That’s when the Spurs will know he’s taken another step.
Spurs Victor Wembanyama and new addition Chris Paul share a mpoment after being photographed during Spurs Media Day activities Monday morning at the Victory Capital Performance Center.
Spurs Victor Wembanyama answers question during Spurs Media Day activities Monday morning at the Victory Capital Performance Center.
Spurs Victor Wembanyama answers question during Spurs Media Day activities Monday morning at the Victory Capital Performance Center.
New Spurs player Chris Paul is photographed during Spurs Media Day activities Monday morning at the Victory Capital Performance Center.
New Spurs player Chris Paul is photographed during Spurs Media Day activities Monday morning at the Victory Capital Performance Center.
Spurs rookie Stephon Castle gets poses for pictures during Spurs Media Day activities Monday morning at the Victory Capital Performance Center.
Spurs Jeremy Sochan poses for pictures during Spurs Media Day activities Monday morning at the Victory Capital Performance Center.
Spurs Victor Wembanyama is photographed during Spurs Media Day activities Monday morning at the Victory Capital Performance Center.
Spurs Victor Wembanyama is photographed during Spurs Media Day activities Monday morning at the Victory Capital Performance Center.
Spurs Victor Wembanyama is photographed during Spurs Media Day activities Monday morning at the Victory Capital Performance Center.
Spurs Victor Wembanyama is photographed during Spurs Media Day activities Monday morning at the Victory Capital Performance Center.
Spurs Victor Wembanyama is photographed during Spurs Media Day activities Monday morning at the Victory Capital Performance Center.
New Spurs player Chris Paul is photographed during Spurs Media Day activities Monday morning at the Victory Capital Performance Center.
New Spurs player Chris Paulgreets media members during Spurs Media Day activities Monday morning at the Victory Capital Performance Center.
Spurs Harrison Barnes poses for pictures during Spurs Media Day activities Monday morning at the Victory Capital Performance Center.
Spurs top draft pick Stephon Castle has his picture taken during Spurs Media Day activities Monday morning at the Victory Capital Performance Center.
Tre Jones smiles during Spurs Media Day activities Monday morning at the Victory Capital Performance Center.
Spurs Julian Champagnie gets his picture taken during Spurs Media Day activities Monday morning at the Victory Capital Performance Center.
Spurs Harrison Barnes speaks during Spurs Media Day activities Monday morning at the Victory Capital Performance Center.
Spurs Harrison Barnes poses for pictures during Spurs Media Day activities Monday morning at the Victory Capital Performance Center.
Spurs Blake Wesley poses for a photo during Spurs Media Day activities Monday morning at the Victory Capital Performance Center.
Spurs Devin Vessell poses for a picture during Spurs Media Day activities Monday morning at the Victory Capital Performance Center.
Spurs Keldon Johnson poses for pictures during Spurs Media Day activities Monday morning at the Victory Capital Performance Center.
Spurs Jeremy Sochan during Spurs Media Day activities Monday morning at the Victory Capital Performance Center.
Spurs Maiski Barnes poses for pictures during Spurs Media Day activities Monday morning at the Victory Capital Performance Center.
during Spurs Media Day activities Monday morning at the Victory Capital Performance Center.
Spurs Victor Wembanyama is photographed during Spurs Media Day activities Monday morning at the Victory Capital Performance Center.
Spurs Malachi Flynn during Spurs Media Day activities Monday morning at the Victory Capital Performance Center.
Spurs Nathan Mensah during Spurs Media Day activities Monday morning at the Victory Capital Performance Center.
Spurs Brandon Boston during Spurs Media Day activities Monday morning at the Victory Capital Performance Center.
Spurs head coach Greggg Popovich speaks during Spurs Media Day activities Monday morning at the Victory Capital Performance Center.
Spurs Sandro Mamukelashvili during Spurs Media Day activities Monday morning at the Victory Capital Performance Center.
Spurs head coach Greggg Popovich speaks during Spurs Media Day activities Monday morning at the Victory Capital Performance Center.
Spurs head coach Greggg Popovich speaks during Spurs Media Day activities Monday morning at the Victory Capital Performance Center.
Spurs head coach Greggg Popovich speaks during Spurs Media Day activities Monday morning at the Victory Capital Performance Center.
Spur Head Coach Gregg Popovich smiles after having his picture taken during Spurs Media Day activities Monday morning at the Victory Capital Performance Center.
during Spurs Media Day activities Monday morning at the Victory Capital Performance Center.
Spurs Victor Wembanyama and new addition Chris Paul are being photographed during Spurs Media Day activities Monday morning at the Victory Capital Performance Center.
Spurs Victor Wembanyama is photographed during Spurs Media Day activities Monday morning at the Victory Capital Performance Center.
New Spurs player Chris Paul is photographed during Spurs Media Day activities Monday morning at the Victory Capital Performance Center.
Spurs Julian Champagnie takes pictures of teammate Tre Jones during Spurs Media Day activities Monday morning at the Victory Capital Performance Center.
Spurs head coach Greggg Popovich speaks during Spurs Media Day activities Monday morning at the Victory Capital Performance Center.
By Mike Finger, Columnist, via San Antonio Express-News