By Tom Orsborn, Staff writer | San Antonio Express-News (SAEN), 2024-10-15 12:12:06
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 10 月 7 日，德克萨斯州圣安东尼奥，在弗罗斯特银行中心举行的 NBA 季前赛中，圣安东尼奥马刺队前锋莱利·米尼克斯(Riley Minix)（27 号）、前锋哈里森·英格拉姆(Harrison Ingram)（55 号）和后卫布兰登·波士顿(Brandon Boston Jr.)（4 号）在下半场比赛中对抗俄克拉荷马雷霆队。马刺队以 107-112 不敌雷霆队。
约翰逊(Keldon Johnson)回到板凳席，米尼克斯和其他新秀一起挤在球场边上，他们不太可能在第四节末段之前上场。在此之前，两人开怀大笑。
为什么这位初出茅庐的新秀能在拿着 1900 万美元年薪的老将面前如此放松？约翰逊给出了答案。
“很难把他当成菜鸟，因为他和我一样大。”这位上周五刚满 25 岁的锋线球员说道。
米尼克斯实际上是 24 岁，但约翰逊的意思很明确：在这个“一锤子买卖”的青少年时代（比如马刺队 19 岁的乐透秀斯蒂芬·卡斯尔(Stephon Castle)），这位来自佛罗里达州维罗海滩的球员可不是什么普通的菜鸟。
“这很不寻常。”格雷格·波波维奇(Gregg Popovich)谈到执教一位像米尼克斯这样年龄的新人时说道，“这种情况并不常见。”
米尼克斯的 NBA 之旅更加不可思议。
他在佛罗里达州莱克兰德的一所 NAIA（美国大学生体育协会）院校东南大学打了四个赛季，然后利用 NCAA 因为疫情而给予的额外参赛资格，成为肯塔基州莫尔黑德州立大学的一名中游球星。
米尼克斯自称是维罗海滩高中的大器晚成者，在读高二时身高猛增至 6 英尺 6 英寸（约 1.98 米）。在 2022-23 赛季，他在东南大学场均得到 25.4 分、13.6 个篮板和近 3.0 次助攻，之后跃升至 NCAA 一级联赛。尽管竞争激烈程度陡增，但他场均仍能得到 20.8 分、9.8 个篮板、2.2 次助攻、1.3 次抢断和 1.0 次盖帽，带领莫尔黑德州立大学自 2021 年以来首次进入 NCAA 锦标赛，并荣膺俄亥俄河谷联盟年度最佳球员。
“我的梦想是在疯狂三月打球，站在那个舞台上。”两届 NAIA 全美最佳球员米尼克斯说道，“这就是我转到一级联赛的原因，我想站在那个舞台上，展现我的能力。”
2024 年 10 月 12 日，星期六，在圣安东尼奥举行的一场 NBA 篮球比赛的下半场，犹他爵士队后卫科林·塞克斯顿(Collin Sexton)（2 号）试图在圣安东尼奥马刺队的莱利·米尼克斯（27 号）面前投篮。圣安东尼奥队以 126-120 获胜。（美联社照片/达伦·阿巴特）
在疯狂三月首轮比赛中，老鹰队以 16 分的劣势输给了伊利诺伊队，但米尼克斯凭借着 10 投 5 中的三分球砍下 27 分，巩固了他在 NBA 球探心中的地位，成为这场比赛的赢家。
“我想说那场比赛确实让一些人眼前一亮，让我以不同的方式被看到。”米尼克斯说道，他在本赛季的最后 14 场比赛中有 13 场得分至少达到 20 分。
米尼克斯强壮的体格（6 英尺 7 英寸，230 磅，约 2.01 米，104 公斤）、投篮能力、无球移动能力、韧性和智慧（他在东南大学获得体育管理学位的同时，还入选了 NAIA 学术全美阵容）也让他极具吸引力。
“他真正意识到了，他不仅是大多数晚上球场上最强壮的球员，而且通常也是最聪明的球员。”时任莫尔黑德州立大学教练普雷斯顿·斯普拉德林(Preston Spradlin)在老鹰队对阵伊利诺伊队之前说道，“他能够找到方法来影响比赛，即使在他感到疲惫或遇到强硬对手时，因为他从一场比赛到另一场比赛的记忆和执行细节的能力都非常出色。”
马刺队一直在寻找潜在的璞玉，他们在米尼克斯在夏季联赛中表现出色后，与他签署了一份训练营合同。现在，他在季前赛中表现出色，吸引了波波维奇的目光，正在争取球队的最后一份双向合同。
“他可能还在为能够进入 NBA 球队并做他现在所做的事情而感到难以置信，因为这可能不是他几年前所期望的。”波波维奇说道，“但他是一个意志坚强的年轻人。他很聪明。他善于学习。而且他还能投篮。他成了一个惊喜。”
“当他刚来的时候，我不知道他是谁，但他让我记住了他。”
在周二晚上对阵热火的比赛中，米尼克斯在家乡父老面前出场，他在三场比赛中场均得到 7.8 分，三分球命中率高达 57.1%（场均出手 2.3 次），场均出场时间为 7.8 分钟。他的高光时刻之一是在周六战胜犹他的比赛中，面对德鲁·尤班克斯(Drew Eubanks)，他利用背后运球为自己创造空间，然后迎着这位前马刺球员投进一记后撤步三分。
“在整个公开训练和训练营中，他都非常稳健，并且在他获得的上场时间里表现出色。”约翰逊说道，“我为他感到高兴。”
从 NAIA 到 NCAA 一级联赛的顺利过渡，让米尼克斯在进入训练营时几乎没有新秀的紧张情绪。
“这对我来说是一个很大的垫脚石，它帮助我适应了大型场馆，比如这里，也帮助我学会了如何与高水平球员对抗。”他在弗罗斯特银行中心接受采访时谈到自己升入一级联赛的经历时说道，“现在我只是在不断调整，继续适应我的任何角色，然后我就会从那里开始。”
他的年龄也帮助他从容地应对一切。他不怕问问题，在球场上也同样自信。
“他非常勇敢。”卡斯尔说道，“他从不畏惧任何时刻。他真的很能投篮，而且他的防守自夏季联赛以来有了很大的进步。他展现出了进步。”
作为一名老将新秀，他也能够与像约翰逊这样的老球员平起平坐。
“这有点疯狂。”米尼克斯说道，“起初他告诉我，他在联盟里待了多久，我想，‘哇。’然后我发现他才 25 岁，我想，‘我正在仰视的这个人，竟然和我差不多大。’而且马刺队现在的大多数球员都是这样，这太疯狂了，因为他们中的一些人，比如凯尔登，已经在联盟里待了五六年了。我们喜欢同样的东西，所以很容易融入这个团队。”
点击查看原文：Spurs' Riley Minix takes improbable path to potential two-way contract
Spurs’ Riley Minix takes improbable path to potential two-way contract
San Antonio Spurs forward Riley Minix (27), forward Harrison Ingram (55) and guard Brandon Boston Jr. (4) play in the second half of the pre-season NBA match-up against the Oklahoma City Thunder at Frost Bank Center on Monday, Oct. 7, 2024, in San Antonio, Texas. The Spurs fell to the Thunder, 112-107.
The two shared a hearty laugh before Johnson returned to his seat on the bench and Minix settled into a cramped spot on the floor with the other newbies unlikely to play until late in the fourth quarter.
So why was the neophyte so at ease in the company of a veteran making $19 million this season? Johnson provided the answer.
“It’s hard to call him a rookie because he’s my age,” said the forward, who turned 25 last Friday.
Minix is actually 24, but Johnson’s point is clear: In this age of one-and-done teens (see 19-year-old Spurs lottery pick Stephon Castle), the native of Vero Beach, Florida, is no ordinary rookie.
“It’s very odd,” Gregg Popovich said of coaching a newcomer to the league as old as Minix. “It doesn’t happen very often.”
Minix’s journey to the NBA is even more improbable.
He played four seasons at Southeastern University, an NAIA school in Lakeland, Florida, before taking advantage of the NCAA’s extra eligibility year due to the pandemic to become a mid-major star at Morehead State in Kentucky.
A self-described late bloomer at Vero Beach High who had a growth spurt to 6-foot-6 as a junior, Minix averaged 25.4 points, 13.6 rebounds and nearly 3.0 assists per game in 2022-23 at Southeastern before making the jump to Division I. Despite the steep spike in competition, he averaged 20.8 points, 9.8 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 1.3 steals and 1.0 blocks to lead Morehead State to its first NCAA tournament berth since 2021 while earning Ohio Valley Conference Player of the Year honors.
“It was my dream to play in March Madness and be on that stage,” said Minix, a two-time NAIA All-American. “That’s why I made the transition to D-I, to be on that stage and show what I can do.”
Utah Jazz guard Collin Sexton (2) attempts to shoot against San Antonio Spurs’ Riley Minix (27) during the second half of an NBA basketball game, Saturday, Oct. 12, 2024, in San Antonio. San Antonio won 126-120. (AP Photo/Darren Abate)
The Eagles lost by 16 points to Illinois in the opening round of March Madness, but Minix was a winner in terms of solidifying his standing with NBA scouts with a 27-point outing fueled by 5-for-10 shooting from 3-point range.
“I would say that game did open some eyes and allowed me to be seen in a different kind of light,” said Minix, who finished the season by scoring at least 20 points in 13 of his last 14 games.
Minix’ sturdy NBA-ready 6-7, 230-pound frame, shooting, ability to move without the ball, toughness and intelligence – he was an NAIA Academic All-American at Southeastern while earning a degree in sports management – also made him attractive.
“He’s really tapped into the fact that not only is he the strongest player on the court most nights, but he’s typically the most intelligent,” then-Morehead State coach Preston Spradlin said before the Eagles faced Illinois. “He’s able to find ways to impact the game even when he’s tired or even when he has a tough matchup, because his ability to retain and execute details from game to game is exceptional.”
Always on the lookout for potential diamonds in the rough, the Spurs signed Minix to a training camp contract after a solid Summer League showing. Now he’s in in the running to land the team’s final two-way contract after playing well enough in the preseason to catch Popovich’s eye.
“He’s a young man that is probably still pinching himself that he is on an NBA team and doing what he is doing because it’s probably not what he expected several years ago,” Popovich said. "But he is a tough young man. He is intelligent. He learns. And he can shoot the basketball. He has become a pleasant surprise.
“I didn’t know who the heck he was when he came in, but he made me notice.”
Minix came into Tuesday night’s game against the Heat in front of family and friends averaging 7.8 points per game while shooting 57.1% from 3-point range on 2.3 attempts over three games and an average of 7.8 minutes per outing. Among his highlights was a step-back 3 over Drew Eubanks in Saturday’s win over Utah in which he used a behind-the-back dribble to clear space between him and the former Spur.
“He’s been really solid for us throughout open gym and training camp and has been playing well in the given time he’s had,” Johnson said. “I’m happy for him.”
Minix came into camp with a minimal amount of rookie jitters after his smooth transition from NAIA to Division I.
“It was a big stepping stone for me and it helped me a lot just as far as being in big arenas, such as this one here, and just playing against high level players,” he said during an interview at the Frost Bank Center of his jump to D-I. “It’s just more adjusting now and continuing to adapt to whatever my role is, and then I go from there.”
His age also helped from a maturity standpoint. He’s not afraid to ask questions and has been equally assertive on the court.
“He’s pretty fearless,” Castle said. "He’s not scared of any moment. He can really shoot it and his defense has gotten way better since when I first saw him in Summer League. He’s shown improvement.”
And being a graybeard rookie has also allowed him to stand eye to eye with veterans like Johnson.
“It’s kind of crazy,” Minix said. “At first he told me how long he has been in the league, and I was like, ‘Wow.’ Then I found out he was 25 and I am thinking, ‘I am looking up to this guy and he’s just about my age.’ And most of the guys on the Spurs right now are, which is kind of crazy because some of them like Keldon have been in the league for five, six years. We like the same kind of stuff, so it is easy to be part of this team.”
By Tom Orsborn, Staff writer, via San Antonio Express-News