By Jeff McDonald, Staff writer | San Antonio Express-News (SAEN), 2024-11-02 14:43:07
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30日星期三，在俄克拉荷马城举行的NBA篮球比赛上半场，圣安东尼奥马刺队后卫克里斯·保罗(Chris Paul)(3号)带球突破俄克拉荷马城雷霆队后卫谢伊·吉尔杰斯-亚历山大(Shai Gilgeous-Alexander)的防守。(美联社照片/内特·比林斯)
克里斯·保罗(Chris Paul)与马刺签下的一年合同墨迹未干，这位球队的新任控球后卫就迫不及待地想要开始工作了。
当时保罗正在拉斯维加斯。在正式成为马刺球员的几个小时后，这位12届全明星球员就召集了所有在夏季联赛期间在场的队友，前往内华达大学拉斯维加斯分校的训练馆进行5对5训练。
正是在这里，桑德罗·马穆克拉什维利(Sandro Mamukelashvili)第一次见识到了即将占据他生活的篮球研究生课程。
在其中一场比赛中，为了给保罗留下好印象，马穆克拉什维利匆忙上前为他的新控卫设置掩护。结果他学到了一课。
“作为一名年轻球员，你被教导要跑上前去设置一个好的掩护，”这位25岁的替补前锋说。“但他可能会很快对你大喊，‘直接空切！’当然，你就处于空位了。”
在保罗效力马刺的第一个也是几乎可以肯定的唯一一个赛季初期，马刺队正在了解保罗教授的课程：他的讲座对每个人都是免费的，从轮换阵容中的主力球员到深陷板凳席末端的征战多年的老将。
“克里斯·保罗会和每个人交流，”替补后卫马拉基·布拉纳姆(Malaki Branham)说。“我们需要这个。有这样的声音，每个人都在倾听。”
39岁，征战NBA的第20个赛季，保罗一直是更衣室里每位球员的热心导师。
即使马穆克拉什维利在赛季初没有进入格雷格·波波维奇的轮换阵容，前三场比赛总共只打了6分钟，保罗也一直在对他进行指导。
自从保罗在7月份第一次进入马刺的轨道以来，这种动态就一直存在。
马穆克拉什维利回忆起他在休斯顿季前赛中犯的一个错误，当时他没有意识到火箭队在比赛结束前试图抢攻两个回合。
火箭队的弗雷德·范弗利特投进了一个三分球，部分原因是马穆克拉什维利的疏忽。
“他把我拉到一边，‘下次你必须明白他们是要下来投那个球的，’” 马穆克拉什维利说。“他洞察秋毫。我觉得我从他身上学到了很多知识。”
马穆克拉什维利说，到目前为止，保罗已经展现出了在要求严格的同时又不贬低人的能力。
“他是那种即使你投丢了也永远不会让你失去信心的人，”马穆克拉什维利说。“他仍然会告诉你去投篮。但他也会告诉你他认为你的投篮位置在哪里，以及你需要在哪里接球。”
布拉纳姆说，保罗的每一次教导都有一个核心信息。
“就是要改掉那些失败的习惯，”布拉纳姆说。“我们正在努力养成赢球的习惯。”
然而，尽管保罗一直很健谈，他也表现出了对何时保持沉默的敏锐感觉。
当球星中锋文班亚马(Victor Wembanyama)在周三对阵俄克拉荷马城的比赛中仅得到赛季最低的5分时，保罗确保在飞往下一场在犹他州比赛的飞机上与他保持距离。
“我什么都没跟他说，”保罗说。
有时，保罗发现，最好的建议就是什么也不说。
文班亚马在对阵爵士的比赛中自己找到了一些解决办法，得到25分、9个篮板、7次助攻、5次盖帽和5次抢断，这是他职业生涯第二次所谓的“5x5”比赛。
“你在联盟中看到的每个人都在不断学习，”保罗说。“（文班亚马）已经做了很长时间的职业球员了。你会时不时地给他一些建议，但他将会成为最伟大的球员之一。”
在保罗的篮球研究生课程中，马穆克拉什维利一直是一个勤奋的学生。
从夏天开始，马穆克拉什维利在拉斯维加斯从保罗教授那里学到了第一课，他就一直是这样。
“他就像一个球员教练，”马穆克拉什维利说。“他总是那么鼓舞人心。有他在真是一个优势。他从来不说没有道理的话。”
2024年10月31日，犹他州盐湖城 - 圣安东尼奥马刺队的斯蒂芬·卡斯尔(Stephon Castle)5号在与犹他爵士队在三角洲中心进行的比赛下半场庆祝得分。
卡斯尔很高兴能投出自己的一票
新秀后卫斯蒂芬·卡斯尔(Stephon Castle)自从进入NBA以来经历了几个第一次。上个月底，他经历了一个与篮球无关的第一次。
这位刚满20岁的新秀在美国总统选举中投出了他的第一张选票，与队友一起到德克萨斯大学圣安东尼奥分校的投票站参加了一次实地考察。
“投出我的第一张选票感觉很好，”卡斯尔说，他周五刚满20岁。
10月份提前投票开始时，波波维奇与球员们谈到了参与选举的公民责任。
卡斯尔说，尽管他已经渴望在符合资格后第一次参加总统选举投票，但波波维奇的话帮助他进一步理解了这一点。
“他不想给我们灌输任何东西（关于投票给谁），”卡斯尔说。“他希望我们对此有自己的想法。这真的只是关于投票的重要性，以及对我们的未来和我们孩子的未来产生影响的重要性。”
SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH - OCTOBER 31: Victor Wembanyama #1 speaks to Chris Paul #3 of the San Antonio Spurs during the first half of a game against the Utah Jazz at Delta Center on October 31, 2024 in Salt Lake City, Utah.
San Antonio Spurs guard Chris Paul has a word with Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich, during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Utah Jazz, Thursday, Oct. 31, 2024, in Salt Lake City. (AP Photo/Rick Egan)
Utah Jazz guard Jordan Clarkson (00) takes the ball inside, as San Antonio Spurs guard Chris Paul (3) and San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama (1) defend during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Thursday, Oct. 31, 2024, in Salt Lake City. (AP Photo/Rick Egan)
点击查看原文：Chris Paul is an equal-opportunity teacher for Spurs
Chris Paul is an equal-opportunity teacher for Spurs
San Antonio Spurs guard Chris Paul (3) drives against Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Wednesday, Oct. 30, 2024, in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Nate Billings)
The ink had barely dried on the one-year contract Chris Paul signed with the Spurs in July, and the team’s new point guard couldn’t wait to get to work.
Paul was in Las Vegas at the time. Only hours after formally becoming a Spur, the 12-time All-Star summoned whichever of his new teammates happened to be around for Summer League to a practice gym on the UNLV campus to get in some 5-on-5 work.
It was here that Sandro Mamukelashvili got his first glimpse of the basketball postgraduate class that would soon come to take up his life.
Trying to impress Paul in one of the games, Mamukelashvili rushed to set a screen for his new point guard. He came away with a lesson learned.
“As a young guy, you’re taught to run up and set a good screen,” said Mamukelashvili, a 25-year-old reserve forward. “But he might just real quick scream at you, ‘Just cut!’ And of course, you’re open.”
What the Spurs are learning about Professor Paul early in his first and most certainly only season in San Antonio, which continued with Saturday’s game against Minnesota: His lectures are free for everybody, from the load-bearing players at the top of the rotation to journeymen mired on the end of the bench.
“Chris Paul is going to talk to everybody,” backup guard Malaki Branham said. “We need that. Just having that voice, everybody’s listening.”
At age 39 and in his 20th season, Paul has been an eager teacher to every player in the locker room.
Even when Mamukelashvili opened the season out of Gregg Popovich’s rotation, logging six minutes total over the first three games, Paul remained in his ear.
This is a dynamic that has been in place since Paul first entered the Spurs’ orbit in July.
Mamukelashvili recalls a mistake he made during a preseason game in Houston, when he failed to realize the Rockets were going into hurry-up mode late in a quarter to try and squeeze in two possessions before the buzzer.
Houston’s Fred VanVleet hit a 3-pointer in part due to Mamukelashvili’s negligence.
“He pulled me aside, ‘Next time you have to understand that they are coming down to shoot that shot,’ “ Mamukelashvili said. “He reads the little stuff. I feel like I am gaining a lot of knowledge from him.”
So far Paul has shown the ability to be demanding without being demeaning, Mamukelashvili said.
“He is the guy who is never going to take your confidence away if you miss,” Mamukelashvili said. “He is going to still tell you to shoot. But he is also going to tell you what he thinks your good spots are and where you need to get to the ball.”
There is one core message running through each of Paul’s teachings, Branham said.
“Just cleaning up on losing habits,” Branham said. “We’re trying to create winning habits.”
As vocal as Paul has been, however, he has also displayed a keen feel for when to keep his mouth closed.
When star center Victor Wembanyama struggled to a season-low five-point performance at Oklahoma City on Wednesday, Paul made sure to keep his distance on the plane ride to the next game in Utah.
“I didn’t say nothing to him,” Paul said.
Sometimes, Paul has found, the best sage advice is no advice at all.
Wembanyama figured some things out on his own against the Jazz, posting 25 points, nine rebounds, seven assists, five blocks and five steals for the second so-called “5x5” game of his career.
“Everyone you see in the league is always learning more,” Paul said. “(Wembanyama) has already been a pro for a long time. You give advice here and there, but he is going to be one of the greats.”
When it comes to Paul’s postgraduate basketball course, Mamukelashvili has been a diligent pupil.
It has been that way since the summer, when Mamukelashvili learned his first lesson from Professor Paul in Las Vegas.
“He’s like a player-coach,” Mamukelashvili said. “He is always so encouraging. Having him is such an advantage. He never says something that doesn’t make sense.”
SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH - OCTOBER 31: Stephon Castle #5 of the San Antonio Spurs celebrates a basket during the second half of a game against the Utah Jazz at Delta Center on October 31, 2024 in Salt Lake City, Utah.
Castle thrilled to cast a vote
Rookie guard Stephon Castle has experienced several firsts since entering the NBA. Late last month, he had one that had nothing to do with basketball.
The newly minted 20-year-old cast his first ballot in a United States presidential election, attending a field trip with teammates to a polling station on the UTSA campus.
“It felt good to get my first one in,” said Castle, who just turned 20 on Friday.
When early voting opened in October, Popovich talked to players the civic responsibility of participating in an election.
Though already eager to vote in his first presidential election since becoming eligible, Castle said Popovich’s words helped drive home the point.
“He didn’t want to instill anything in our heads (about who to vote for),” Castle said. “He wanted us to have our own mind about it. It was really just about the importance of voting and how important it is to have an impact on our future and our kids’ future.”
SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH - OCTOBER 31: Victor Wembanyama #1 speaks to Chris Paul #3 of the San Antonio Spurs during the first half of a game against the Utah Jazz at Delta Center on October 31, 2024 in Salt Lake City, Utah.
San Antonio Spurs guard Chris Paul has a word with Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich, during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Utah Jazz, Thursday, Oct. 31, 2024, in Salt Lake City. (AP Photo/Rick Egan)
Utah Jazz guard Jordan Clarkson (00) takes the ball inside, as San Antonio Spurs guard Chris Paul (3) and San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama (1) defend during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Thursday, Oct. 31, 2024, in Salt Lake City. (AP Photo/Rick Egan)
By Jeff McDonald, Staff writer, via San Antonio Express-News