By Tom Orsborn, Staff writer | San Antonio Express-News (SAEN), 2024-11-13 17:34:46
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31日星期四，在盐湖城举行的NBA篮球比赛下半场，圣安东尼奥马刺队后卫克里斯·保罗(Chris Paul)与马刺队主教练格雷格·波波维奇(Gregg Popovich)交谈。
周三，在俱乐部宣布这位75岁的名人堂教练在11月2日遭受了轻微中风之后，一位球队高管表示，格雷格·波波维奇(Gregg Popovich)的突然病倒震动了整个马刺队。
“这对每个人来说都是一段艰难的时期，”总经理莱特(Brian Wright)说道。“在过去的三十年里，波波教练一直是这个球队的领袖。我们都遇到过或认识一些拥有不同气场、不同存在感的人，而他显然就是其中之一。每天我们走进球馆，都能感受到这种领导力，感受到这种存在感，所以没有他，这里显然空落落的。我们都很想念他。”
在球队战胜华盛顿之前的新闻发布会上，莱特说波波维奇“情况良好”，并且一直在问他和其他人一些篮球方面的问题，比如“为什么我们的失误这么多？”
延伸阅读： 波波维奇中风后，马刺队不敢掉以轻心
“他就是这样的人，”莱特说。“你了解他。他很坚强，他是一个斗士，他会努力的。所以，我们都在这里支持他，但他现在还好。”
球队周三上午宣布，波波维奇在弗罗斯特银行中心与明尼苏达的比赛开始前几个小时中风。据俱乐部称，他已经开始进行康复治疗，预计会“完全康复”。
球队还没有公布任何关于波波维奇病情的细节，他的回归时间表也尚未确定。
“我们期待着他回来的那一天，”莱特说。
莱特说，他为球员和工作人员“团结一心”的方式感到“非常自豪”。
“这正是波波教练希望我们做的，”他说。“我们每个人都要扮演好自己的角色，继续互相依靠，互相支持，互相帮助。”
球员们是在俱乐部训练场的投篮训练期间的队内会议上得知波波维奇中风的。
“听到这个消息很难过，”凯尔登·约翰逊(Keldon Johnson)说道，作为一名六年级球员，他是马刺队现役效力时间最长的球员。
“他是第一个相信我、给我机会、指导我、帮助我成为一名职业球员、帮助我成为一个年轻人的人，”约翰逊补充道。“听到这个消息真的很难过。”
朱利安·尚帕尼(Julian Champagnie)表示赞同。
“听到这样的事情很难过，”尚帕尼说。“但听到他状态良好，精神状态良好，这绝对是件好事。他还是他自己，所有这些……这是一个相当积极的展望。”
球星中锋文班亚马(Victor Wembanyama)说他“当然有点担心波波”，但也相信他会完全康复。
“我知道他可能正在拼命努力，争取尽快回来，”文班说道。“我相信照顾他的人，我希望他不会离开我们太久。”
克里斯·保罗说道：“伙计，这很难。他不仅对马刺队，而且对全世界，对整个篮球界来说都是一个（标志性）人物。我们做得很好，互相依靠，尤其是很多为球队工作了很久的人。我们在一起的时间比真正的家人还多，所以我们成了家人。很高兴知道他正在好转。”
助理教练米奇·约翰逊(Mitch Johnson)是代理主教练，但莱特暗示，在填补波波维奇留下的巨大空缺方面，球队采取了一种集体领导的方式。
“这需要一个团队，我们都致力于此，”莱特说。“我们都团结在一起。我们都在扮演自己的角色，我们将继续这样做。这是他想要的。”
当被问及为什么37岁的约翰逊被任命为代理主教练，而不是63岁的布雷特·布朗(Brett Brown)——波波教练组中唯一一位拥有NBA主教练经验的助理教练时，莱特没有详细说明。
“米奇和整个教练组在继续前进、继续执行波波对球队以及我们希望如何比赛的愿景方面做得非常出色，”莱特说。“布雷特，他对我们做什么、为什么这样做以及如何做，以及我们需要遵守的标准，都有着丰富的经验。他在支持和协助米奇方面做得很好。”
在约翰逊的带领下，马刺队的战绩为4胜3负，在周五对阵洛杉矶湖人队的比赛之前，总战绩为6胜6负。
“米奇拥有我们的完全信任和信心，”文班说道。
球员们也一致认为，他们的首要任务是波波维奇恢复健康，而不是他是否会再次执教。
“我一直在向上帝祈祷，希望他继续保持健康，并朝着正确的方向继续进步，”凯尔登·约翰逊说。“这就是我们对他的期望。我只希望他健康。我只希望他平安无事。”
San Antonio Spurs interim head coach Mitch Johnson watches San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama (1) warm up before the Spurs’ home game against the Sacramento Kings at Frost Bank Center on Monday, Nov. 11, 2024, in San Antonio, Texas.
San Antonio Spurs interim head coach Mitch Johnson talks to his team during the second half at Frost Bank Center on Monday, Nov. 11, 2024, in San Antonio, Texas. The Spurs defeated the Kings, 116-96.
点击查看原文：After Gregg Popovich's stroke, Spurs dealing with 'difficult time'
After Gregg Popovich’s stroke, Spurs dealing with ‘difficult time’
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.
The sudden loss of Gregg Popovich has shaken the entire Spurs organization, a team executive said Wednesday after the club announced the 75-year-old Hall of Fame coach suffered what it termed a mild stroke on Nov. 2.
“It’s been a difficult time for everyone,” general manager Brian Wright said. “Coach Pop has been the leader of this organization for the last three decades. We all have come across or know people that just have a different aura, different presence about them, and clearly he’s one of those people. When we walk into the building each and every day, we feel that leadership, we feel that presence, and so not having him, there’s clearly a void. And we miss him.”
Speaking at a news conference before the team’s win over Washington, Wright said Popovich is “doing well” and has been asking him and others basketball questions along the lines of, “Why are we turning the ball over so much?”
READ MORE: Finger: After Gregg Popovich’s stroke, Spurs take nothing for granted
“That’s exactly how he is,” Wright said. “You know him. He’s tough and he’s a fighter and he’s going to work. So, we’re all here for him, but he’s doing OK.”
Popovich suffered the stroke at the Frost Bank Center a few hours before a game against Minnesota, the team announced Wednesday morning. His rehabilitation is underway and he is expected to make a “full recovery,” according to the club.
The team has not released any details about Popovich’s condition and a timeline for his return has not been determined.
“We look forward to the day when we can welcome him back,” Wright said.
Wright said he’s “extremely proud” of the players and the staff for the way they have “bonded together.”
“It’s exactly what coach Pop would want us to do,” he said. “It is on all of us to play our part, to play our role, to continue to lean on each other, support each other and be there for one another.”
The players learned of Popovich’s stroke at a team meeting during shootaround at the club’s practice facility.
“It hurt to hear the news,” said Keldon Johnson, who as a sixth-year pro is the Spurs’ longest-tenured current player.
“He was the first person to believe in me and give me an opportunity, coach me up and help me become a pro and help me become a young man,” Johnson added. "It was tough to hear it.”
Julian Champagnie agreed.
“It’s hard to hear stuff like that,” Champagnie said. “But it’s definitely good to hear he’s in a good place, a good space mentally. He’s himself, all that stuff. … It was a pretty positive outlook.”
Star center Victor Wembanyama said he is “of course, a bit worried about Pop” but also confident he will make a full recovery.
“I know he’s working like crazy probably and trying to come back as quick as possible,” Wembanyama said. “I trust the people taking care of him and I hope he’s not going to be away from us for too long.”
Said Chris Paul, “Man, it’s tough. He’s such an (iconic) figure not just to the Spurs but to the whole world, the whole basketball community. We have done a great job leaning on each other, especially a lot of these people who work for the team and have been here for so long. We are together more than are actual families, so we become families. It’s nice to know he’s getting better.”
Assistant coach Mitch Johnson is the acting head coach, but Wright suggested there has been a leadership-by-committee approach to filling Popovich’s oversized shoes.
“It takes a village, and we’re all committed to that,” Wright said. “We’ve all bonded together. We’re all playing our roles and we’ll continue to do that. It’s what he would want.”
Wright did not go into specifics when asked why Johnson, 37, was named acting head coach over 63-year-old Brett Brown, the only assistant on Pop’s staff with experience as an NBA head coach.
“Mitch and the entire staff have done a phenomenal job of continuing forward, continue to execute on Pop’s vision for the team and how we want to play,” Wright said. “Brett, he has great corporate knowledge as to what we do and why we do it and how we do it, and the standards we need to operate by. And he’s done a great job of supporting and assisting Mitch.”
The Spurs are 4-3 with Johnson at the helm and 6-6 overall heading into Friday’s game against the Los Angeles Lakers.
“Mitch has our total trust, total confidence,” Wembanyama said.
The players also agree that their top priority is Popovich’s return to health, not whether he will coach again.
“I keep praying to God he continues to get healthy and continues to progress in the right direction,” Keldon Johnson said. “That’s what we want from him. I just want him to be healthy. I just want him to be OK.”
San Antonio Spurs interim head coach Mitch Johnson watches San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama (1) warm up before the Spurs’ home game against the Sacramento Kings at Frost Bank Center on Monday, Nov. 11, 2024, in San Antonio, Texas.
San Antonio Spurs interim head coach Mitch Johnson talks to his team during the second half at Frost Bank Center on Monday, Nov. 11, 2024, in San Antonio, Texas. The Spurs defeated the Kings, 116-96.
By Tom Orsborn, Staff writer, via San Antonio Express-News