By Tom Orsborn, Staff writer | San Antonio Express-News (SAEN), 2024-10-05 18:05:34
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。
如果说维克托·文班亚马（Victor Wembanyama）的控球和脚步在本赛季看起来更加犀利，那么其中一部分功劳要归功于一位曾在休赛期与这位法国球星一起训练的前 NBA 球星。
贾马尔·克劳福德（Jamal Crawford）在其 20 年的 NBA 职业生涯中（2020 年结束）以第六人的身份取得了巨大的成功。这位前球星凭借其作为导师的出色能力，赢得了这位马刺球星的赞誉。
2024 年 4 月 12 日星期五，在 Frost Bank Center 举行的 NBA 比赛上半场，圣安东尼奥马刺队中锋维克托·文班亚马（1 号）带球突破丹佛掘金队前锋阿隆·戈登的防守。最终，圣安东尼奥以 121-120 击败丹佛。
“这是我第一次与一位真正的退役 NBA 球员一起训练这么长时间，”文班亚马说。“我学到了很多东西，因为他对比赛的看法与教练不同，因为他可能比我之前合作过的任何教练都更了解球员。这是一次很棒的经历。我还想再和他一起训练。”
现年 44 岁的克劳福德与 20 岁的文班亚马的第一次见面是在去年 2 月印第安纳波利斯全明星周末期间举行的新星挑战赛上。克劳福德身高 6 英尺 5 英寸，司职后卫，在其职业生涯中场均得到 14.6 分和 3.4 次助攻，并三次荣膺年度最佳第六人。
“我给他展示了一些自由式动作，然后我们就建立了联系，”克劳福德在《丹·帕特里克秀》上说。“我给他展示了一个只属于高个子后卫的动作，只有那些手臂很长的人才能做出来。我认为他能把它提升到一个新的水平。”
克劳福德对文班亚马的多才多艺赞不绝口。这位 7 英尺 3 英寸的中锋在上赛季的 71 场常规赛中场均得到 21.4 分、10.6 个篮板、3.9 次助攻和联盟最高的 3.6 次盖帽，并荣膺年度最佳新秀。
“他是一个如此独特的球员，你可以在球场上的很多不同位置使用他，”克劳福德说。“你可以让他带球推进，你可以让他在肘区进攻，你可以让他在低位进攻。他可以在转换进攻中投三分，无所不能。”
文班亚马表示，他希望在本赛季提高自己在内线的得分效率。
“那些是最容易的得分方式，也是我们最想要的得分方式，”他说。
文班亚马的一位队友说，自从周二训练营开始以来，文班亚马在各个方面都有进步。
“我觉得他比赛的每一个方面都变得更好了，”前锋凯尔登·约翰逊（Keldon Johnson）说。“你们会看到的。我们每天都在见证这一点。只关注控球对他来说是不公平的。他的控球能力确实提高了，但我觉得他比赛的每一个方面都进步了。”
首发阵容仍不确定
主教练格雷格·波波维奇（Gregg Popovich）周六表示，他还没有确定季前赛的首发阵容。
马刺队将于周一晚上 7 点在 Frost Bank Center 对阵俄克拉荷马城雷霆队，开始他们的五场季前赛。
“你们可能可以猜到一些首发球员，但我想看看他们从这场比赛中走出来时的状态，”波波维奇说。“这是一个艰难的星期，我想看看他们的身体状况如何，等等。”
自周二训练营开始以来，马刺队已经连续进行了五天的训练，周日休息。参加训练的球员包括前锋/中锋扎克·柯林斯（Zach Collins）和中锋查尔斯·巴锡（Charles Bassey），他们两人都在上赛季（巴锡，膝盖）或赛季结束后不久（柯林斯，肩膀）接受了手术。
“他们正在进行五对五的训练，”波波维奇说。“我不知道这是否会立即转化为比赛状态，但我们将看看他们本周对这些训练的反应。”
波波维奇称赞比尔·兰德
波波维奇口头赞扬了前马刺队电视直播解说员比尔·兰德（Bill Land），兰德在解说了 21 个赛季的马刺队比赛后于 8 月宣布退休。
“他很棒，工作了很长时间，是一个温柔、善良的人，”波波维奇说。
兰德的决定是在他被诊断出患有多发性骨髓瘤（一种罕见的血癌）近一年后做出的。但兰德在宣布退休时表示，他的健康状况只是他做出决定的一个小因素。
“我现在感觉真的很好，”兰德说。
马刺队上周宣布，已聘请丹佛体育主播雅各布·托比（Jacob Tobey）接替兰德。
“他要接替的位子很难坐，”波波维奇在谈到托比时说。
点击查看原文：The three-time NBA Sixth Man of the Year winner offered the Frenchman
The three-time NBA Sixth Man of the Year winner offered the Frenchman
If Victor Wembanyama’s ball-handling and moves look even sharper this season, give some of the credit to a former NBA standout who worked with the Frenchman in the offseason.
Jamal Crawford, who thrived as a sixth man during a 20-season NBA career that ended in 2020, received high marks from the Spurs star center for his skills as a tutor.
San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama (1) drives on Denver Nuggets forward Aaron Gordon during the first half of their NBA game at the Frost Bank Center on Friday, April 12, 2024. San Antonio beat Denver 121-120.
“It was my first time working for a long period of time with an actual retired NBA player,” Wembanyama said. “I learned a lot because the view he has of the game is different from a coach’s because he understands the player maybe more than any coaches I have worked with before. It was a great experience. I would do it again.”
Crawford, 44, first met Wembanyama, 20, at a Rising Stars practice during All-Star weekend last February in Indianapolis. As a 6-foot-5 guard Crawford averaged 14.6 points and 3.4 assists for his career, which included winning Sixth Man of the Year three times.
“I showed him some freestyle moves and our relationship kind of took off,” Crawford said on The Dan Patrick Show. “I showed him a wrap-around move only reserved for tall guards, guys with long arms who can pull it off. I thought he could take it to the next level.”
Crawford raved about Wembanyama’s versatility. The 7-foot-3 center won Rookie of the Year honors last season with averages of 21.4 points, 10.6 rebounds, 3.9 assists and a league-best 3.6 blocks in 71 regular-season games.
“He is such a unique talent and you can use him in so many different places on the court,” Crawford said. “You can use him bringing up the ball, you can use him in the mid-post area, you can use him in the post area. He can shoot transition threes and do everything in between.”
Wembanyama said he hopes to become more proficient in the paint this season
“Those are the easiest shots and the ones we want the most," he said.
Wembanyama has shown all-around improvement since training camp got underway Tuesday, one of his teammates said.
“I feel like every aspect of his game has gotten better,” forward Keldon Johnson said. “You guys will get to see that. We have been seeing that every day. To just focus on ball-handling would be a disservice. He’s definitely gotten better with the ball, but I feel like every aspect of his game has improved.”
Starting lineup remains uncertain
Coach Gregg Popovich said Saturday he hasn’t set a starting lineup for the preseason opener.
The Spurs kick off their five-game exhibition schedule against Oklahoma City at 7 p.m. Monday night at the Frost Bank Center…
“You can probably guess who some of the starters are, but I want to see how they come out of this,” Popovich said. “It was a tough week and I want to see what their bodies look like and that kind of thing.”
The Spurs are off Sunday after five straight practice days since training camp opened Tuesday. Participants in the workouts have included forward/center Zach Collins and center Charles Bassey, both of whom underwent surgery to repair injuries either during last season (Bassey, knee) or shortly after the season (Collins, shoulder).
“They are going five on five,” Popovich said. “I don’t know if that is going to translate right away to game play, but we are going to see how they react to these practices this weeks.”
Popovich applauds Land
Popovich verbally saluted former Spurs television play-by-play voice Bill Land, who announced his retirement in August after 21 seasons broadcasting Spurs games.
“He was great for a very long time, just a gentle, wonderful guy,” Popovich said.
Land’s decision came nearly a year after he was diagnosed with multiple myseloma, a rare blood cancer. But Land said at the time of his retirement announcement that his health played only a minor role in his decision,
“I am actually feeling really well right now,” Land said.
The Spurs announced last week that Denver-based sports anchor Jacob Tobey has been hired to replace Land.
“He’s got big shoes to fill,” Popovich said of Tobey.
By Tom Orsborn, Staff writer, via San Antonio Express-News