By Jeff McDonald, Staff Writer | San Antonio Express-News (SAEN), 2024-11-27 14:20:17
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 11 月 15 日星期五，在圣安东尼奥举行的酋联杯篮球比赛上半场，洛杉矶湖人队的勒布朗·詹姆斯(LeBron James)（23 号）带球突破圣安东尼奥马刺队的斯蒂芬·卡斯尔（5 号）的防守。(美联社照片/Darren Abate)
上一次斯蒂芬·卡斯尔和勒布朗·詹姆斯(LeBron James)在篮球场上相遇时，比赛以一次谈话结束。
11 月 15 日，在马刺队以 120-115 输给洛杉矶湖人队之后(马刺队 120-115 不敌湖人队)，卡斯尔还没来得及离开弗罗斯特银行中心，这位同时代最伟大的球员就把他叫到场边进行了一番交谈。
这次指导时间很短，詹姆斯向卡斯尔讲解了他在比赛中可以做出的不同解读。
“我真的很尊重他，也很感激他过来跟我说这些，”卡斯尔说。“他真的没必要这样做。”
在 39 岁的詹姆斯看来，他别无选择。如果他计划有一天把 NBA 交到比他接手时更好的后辈手中，他就必须这样做。
“我一直对那些想要进步和学习比赛的人敞开大门，”詹姆斯说。“每年新加入的球员，我都会做同样的事情。这些家伙是新生力量。当我们这些老家伙离开的时候，他们将不得不扛起联盟的大旗。”
在这个逐渐成为卡斯尔新秀赛季的启示录的赛季中，他越来越多地展现出自己作为联盟下一代后卫的价值。
他属于这个俱乐部——部分原因是，尽管他尊重在他之前的球星和偶像，但他并不畏惧他们。
“当你看到年轻球员与联盟中的‘那些家伙’——我们都知道‘那些家伙’是谁——比赛时，有时你会感到敬畏，”马刺队代理教练米奇·约翰逊(Mitch Johnson)说。“有时你又想和他们竞争。这两种感觉可能都会有一些。”
在卡斯尔 NBA 生涯的前 18 场比赛中，他在周三与詹姆斯和湖人队在圣安东尼奥的 rematch 之前场均得到 11.6 分和 3.7 次助攻。
自杰里米·索汉(Jeremy Sochan)拇指受伤后，卡斯尔进入首发阵容以来的 11 场比赛中，他的数据上升到场均 15.1 分和 4.5 次助攻。
这位来自康涅狄格州的 20 岁小伙子每晚都要承担防守对方最佳球员的任务。
当马刺队面对湖人队时，这意味着要防守詹姆斯——一位 20 次入选全明星、4 次获得联盟 MVP 和 4 次获得 NBA 总冠军的球员。
在第一次交锋中，卡斯尔稳住了阵脚，得到 22 分，其中包括在第四节比赛胶着时，面对詹姆斯的强硬左手终结进攻。
“他是一个成熟的年轻人，他不断地以各种方式向我们展示他已经为这一切做好了准备，”约翰逊说。
在上周六马刺队准备迎战金州勇士队时，卡斯尔在更衣室里查看了当晚的防守对位表，并在他的名字旁边看到了一个令人生畏的名字。
斯蒂芬·库里(Stephen Curry)。
库里和詹姆斯一样，在卡斯尔在佐治亚州科温顿成长的过程中，统治了联盟的大部分时间。
“开始的几个回合，”卡斯尔承认，“是的，你会有点敬畏。”
这种感觉很快就从卡斯尔身上消失了，他在马刺队 104-94 的胜利中得到 19 分。
至于库里？在卡斯尔像猎狐犬追逐猎犬一样追着他满场跑之后，这位勇士队的球星最终只得到 14 分。库里 16 投 5 中，这是他本赛季最糟糕的投篮表现。
“他并不真的在意谁在防守他，”卡斯尔说。“所以我因为他是小时候喜欢看的球员就害怕防守他或回避他，那只是对自己和我们的球队不利。”
卡斯尔的“与传奇人物的课程”系列并不仅限于与对方俱乐部的篮球偶像进行的“TED 演讲”。
在马刺队于 6 月份以第四顺位选中卡斯尔 11 天后，马刺队与自由球员控球后卫巨星克里斯·保罗(Chris Paul)签下了一份为期一年的合同。
保罗和詹姆斯一样，也是 39 岁。和詹姆斯一样，这位 12 次入选全明星的球员认为，将 20 个 NBA 赛季的智慧传授给任何想要学习的年轻球员是他的职责。
“斯蒂芬可能已经厌倦了我整天对他喋喋不休，但我希望他没有，”保罗说。“我知道他的能力。”
在马刺队夏季阵容调整之后，不仅卡斯尔对能和保罗一起打球感到兴奋。
作为一名篮球迷，保罗在卡斯尔在康涅狄格大学(UConn)夺冠的那个赛季就已经熟悉了他的比赛。
“我是他的忠实粉丝，”保罗说。
当卡斯尔秋季第一次来到圣安东尼奥时，他仍在护理夏季联赛中受伤的手腕。他最初在公开训练中与保罗的相处是“观察和学习”式的。
“我只能坐在场边，观察他是如何看待球场的，他正在寻找哪些传球，他正在寻找哪些错位，”卡斯尔说。
至于他是否会厌倦保罗在他耳边喋喋不休？卡斯尔无法想象会有这么一天。
“不，绝对不会，”卡斯尔说。“我的意思是，他说的每句话都很有价值。”
卡斯尔对与詹姆斯的短暂互动也有同样的感受。他的新秀赛季就像与他曾经想要成为的球员进行的一系列超现实的对话。
现在，他们已经成为了他最想击败的球员。
SAN ANTONIO, TX - NOVEMBER 15: Chris Paul #3 of the San Antonio Spurs greets LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers before the start of the Emirates NBA Cup game at the Frost Bank Center on November 15, 2024 in San Antonio, Texas.
SAN ANTONIO, TX - NOVEMBER 15: LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers takes greets fans before their game against the San Antonio Spurs in the Emirates NBA Cup at the Frost Bank Center on November 15, 2024 in San Antonio, Texas.
SAN ANTONIO, TX - NOVEMBER 15: LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers shots over Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs in the first half in the Emirates NBA Cup game at the Frost Bank Center on November 15, 2024 in San Antonio, Texas.
Los Angeles Lakers’ LeBron James tangles with San Antonio Spurs’ Keldon Johnson (0) during the second half of an Emirates NBA Cup basketball game, Friday, Nov. 15, 2024, in San Antonio. (AP Photo/Darren Abate)
点击查看原文：San Antonio Spurs rookie Stephon Castle catching eye of NBA greats
San Antonio Spurs rookie Stephon Castle catching eye of NBA greats
Los Angeles Lakers’ LeBron James (23) drives against San Antonio Spurs’ Stephon Castle (5) during the first half of an Emirates NBA Cup basketball game, Friday, Nov. 15, 2024, in San Antonio. (AP Photo/Darren Abate)
The last time Stephon Castle and LeBron James met on a basketball court, the competition ended in a conversation.
Before Castle could leave the Frost Bank Center following the Spurs’ 120-115 defeat against the Los Angeles Lakers on Nov. 15, the greatest player of his generation summoned the Spurs’ prized rookie for a courtside chat.
The tutorial was a short one, with James walking Castle through different reads he might have made throughout the game.
“I really respect him and appreciate him for coming up and saying that to me,” Castle said. “He didn’t really have to.”
The way the 39-year-old King James sees it, he didn’t have a choice. Not if he plans to one day leave the NBA in even better hands than he found it.
“I’ve always had an open-door policy when people want to get better and learn the game,” James said. “Every group that comes in every year, I do the same thing. Those guys are the new breed. They’re going to have to carry the league when the old farts leave.”
More and more throughout what is becoming a revelation of a rookie season, Castle is showing his worth as a member of the league’s next guard.
He belongs in the club – in part because although he respects the stars and idols who have come before him, he does not cower to them.
“When you see young players and they play some of Those Guys in the league – and we know who Those Guys are – sometimes you can be a starstruck,” Spurs acting coach Mitch Johnson said. “And sometimes you like to compete with them. There’s probably a little bit of both.”
Through the first 18 games of Castle’s NBA career, heading into Wednesday’s rematch with James and the Lakers in San Antonio, he is averaging 11.6 points and 3.7 assists.
In 11 games since moving to a starting role in the wake of Jeremy Sochan’s thumb injury, Castle’s numbers have risen to 15.1 points and 4.5 assists.
The 20-year-old from Connecticut has done this despite drawing the defensive assignment against an opposing team’s best player every night.
When the Spurs face the Lakers, that means defending James – a 20-time All-Star, four-time league MVP and four-time NBA champion.
Castle held his ground in the first meeting, scoring 22 points that included a tough left-handed finish over James during a close fourth quarter.
“He’s a mature young man who continues to show us in a variety of ways that he’s ready for this,” Johnson said.
As the Spurs prepared to face the Golden State Warriors last Saturday, Castle looked at the board in the locker room breaking down that night’s defensive matchups and saw a daunting name next to his.
Stephen Curry.
Curry, like James, had ruled the league for most of Castle’s time growing up as a kid in Covington, Ga.
“The first couple of possessions,” Castle admitted, “yeah, you are a little starstruck.”
That feeling vanished quickly for Castle, who finished a 104-94 Spurs victory with 19 points.
As for Curry? With Castle chasing him around the arena like a fox after a hound, the Warriors star ended with 14 points. Curry was 5 of 16 from the floor, his poorest shooting performance of the season.
“He doesn’t really care about who’s guarding him,” Castle said. “So me being scared to guard him or shy away from him because he’s a player I liked to watch when I was younger, that’s just doing myself a disservice and really our team.”
Castle’s Lessons with Legends series isn’t only limited to Ted Talks with basketball idols on opposing clubs.
Eleven days after the Spurs drafted Castle with the No. 4 overall pick in June, the Spurs signed free-agent point guard superstar Chris Paul to a one-year deal.
Paul, like James, is 39. And like James, the 12-time All-Star views it his duty to impart the wisdom of 20 NBA seasons to any young player who wants it.
“Steph probably gets tired of me talking to him all day long, but I hope he doesn’t,” Paul said. “I see what he’s capable of.”
It wasn’t only Castle who was excited to play with Paul after the Spurs’ summertime roster machinations.
A basketball junkie, Paul was already familiar with Castle’s play during his one championship-winning season at UConn.
“I was a huge fan of his,” Paul said.
When Castle first arrived in San Antonio in the fall, he was still nursing a wrist injury suffered during Summer League play. His initial moments with Paul in open gym runs were of the “watch and learn” variety.
“I was just able to sit on the sideline and watch how he sees the floor, what passes he’s looking at, the mismatches that he’s going for,” Castle said.
As for the notion he could ever tire of Paul being ever-present in his ear? Castle cannot conceive of the day.
“No, no definitely not,” Castle said. “I mean, everything he says is valuable.”
Castle feels the same about his brief interactions with James. His rookie season has been a surreal series of conversations with players he once wanted to be.
Now they have become the players he most wants to beat.
SAN ANTONIO, TX - NOVEMBER 15: Chris Paul #3 of the San Antonio Spurs greets LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers before the start of the Emirates NBA Cup game at the Frost Bank Center on November 15, 2024 in San Antonio, Texas.
SAN ANTONIO, TX - NOVEMBER 15: LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers takes greets fans before their game against the San Antonio Spurs in the Emirates NBA Cup at the Frost Bank Center on November 15, 2024 in San Antonio, Texas.
SAN ANTONIO, TX - NOVEMBER 15: LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers shots over Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs in the first half in the Emirates NBA Cup game at the Frost Bank Center on November 15, 2024 in San Antonio, Texas.
Los Angeles Lakers’ LeBron James tangles with San Antonio Spurs’ Keldon Johnson (0) during the second half of an Emirates NBA Cup basketball game, Friday, Nov. 15, 2024, in San Antonio. (AP Photo/Darren Abate)
By Jeff McDonald, Staff Writer, via San Antonio Express-News