By Michael C. Wright | ESPN, 2025-01-03 21:00:00
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。
当圣安东尼奥马刺队在2023年用状元签选中维克托·文班亚马(Victor Wembanyama)时，他们期望这位19岁的法国球员能成为球队的门面，并在未来某一天成为联盟的门面。文班亚马以全票当选年度最佳新秀结束了他的新秀赛季，并且是年度最佳防守球员的最终候选人。
他成为NBA历史上第二位领跑联盟盖帽榜的新秀（自1973-74赛季盖帽正式成为统计数据以来），追平了马努特·波尔(Manute Bol)在1985-86赛季的成就。他还投进了128个三分球，使他成为NBA历史上第一位在单赛季送出250次盖帽和命中100个三分球的球员。
“他的简单却如此精彩，这太不可思议了，”马刺队代理教练米奇·约翰逊(Mitch Johnson)周二表示。
文班亚马在他的第二个赛季展现出了更多精彩，以及在他强势的12月中已经从他的比赛中渗透出的想象力和创造力。在这个月中，他成为了NBA历史上第一位在单月内得到300+得分（342分）、100+篮板（120个）、50+助攻（58次）、50+盖帽（53次）和40+三分命中（43个）的球员。
文班亚马现在是联盟历史上第一位在其前100场比赛中就得到2000+得分、1000+篮板和200+三分球的球员。文班亚马比赛的最新进展在12月份融合在一起，这是他专注于扎实的基本功并将它们与我们已经习惯于从这位天赋异禀的球员身上看到的所有令人惊叹的元素相结合的结果。
“我不想炫耀，”文班亚马说。“但我的确在尝试寻找新的方法来提升我的比赛，并找到绕过防守者调整的方法。而且我不害怕非传统的方式。这就是一切的意义所在。我必须相信我的直觉，因为我知道疯狂会自然而然地发生，我不需要强求。”
马刺队同意这一点，并且不会阻碍文班亚马按照自己的方式处理事情。
“维克托的创造力是我们永远不会牺牲的东西，”约翰逊说。“他的想象力和坚持做自己的人和球员的决心都很强。最重要的是继续理解并知道在特定情况下何时利用他拥有的武器。”
在文班亚马周五的第100场职业比赛以及他21岁生日前夕，以下是这位年轻球员职业生涯中一些最佳的统计数据表现：
文班亚马在第五场NBA比赛中砍下38分：2023年11月2日
在他的职业生涯第五场比赛中，文班亚马就向NBA展示了他的能力以及他为何被誉为一代天才球员。
圣安东尼奥挥霍了27分的领先优势，在比赛还剩4分21秒时与凯文·杜兰特(Kevin Durant)领衔的菲尼克斯太阳队战成116平。
但从那时起，文班亚马立即接管了比赛，这位新秀在马刺队12-0的进攻高潮中砍下10分，帮助马刺队以132-121的比分从足迹中心球馆凯旋而归。
“总得有人站出来，”文班亚马谈到比赛后期的接管时说道。
他砍下38分和10个篮板，还有2次盖帽，而杜兰特得到28分，德文·布克(Devin Booker)得到31分。
文班亚马的38分与大卫·罗宾逊(David Robinson)并列马刺队史新秀第三高分，后者在1990年曾分别砍下41分和39分。
“只是想弄清楚他到底是什么样的球员，因为我们以前从未见过他，”布克说。
10次盖帽的比赛：2024年2月12日和2024年12月21日
文班亚马之前曾拿到过三双，但2月12日的那次三双却与众不同，因为它来自于10次盖帽。在122-99战胜多伦多猛龙队的第四节，文班亚马盖掉了格雷迪·迪克(Gradey Dick)的投篮，拿到了联盟三年多以来的第一个以盖帽为主要数据的三双。
文班亚马在那晚的29分钟内得到27分、14个篮板、10次盖帽和5次助攻，根据ESPN Research的数据，他成为第一个在少于30分钟的出场时间内得到10次盖帽和5次助攻的球员。
这位20岁的球员在上个月复制了10次盖帽的表现，并在114-94战胜波特兰开拓者队的比赛中得到30分。值得一提的是，文班亚马在那场比赛的最后8分半钟没有上场。
他成为第一个在一场比赛中命中4个三分球并送出10次盖帽的球员，也是自1973-74赛季盖帽成为NBA官方统计数据以来，第一个在21岁以下取得多场两位数盖帽的球员。
5x5的比赛：2024年2月23日和2024年10月31日
2月22日在萨克拉门托，文班亚马差一次助攻就能拿到他的第一个5x5数据。但第二天晚上，在384英里外的洛杉矶，文班亚马在123-118输给洛杉矶湖人队的比赛中打出了5x5的表现。
文班亚马加入了贾马尔·汀斯利(Jamaal Tinsley)（2001年）的行列，成为仅有的两位打出5x5数据的新秀，5x5数据指的是至少5分、5个篮板、5次助攻、5次抢断和5次盖帽。他也成为继迈克尔·乔丹(Michael Jordan)之后第二位连续两场比赛送出5次盖帽和5次抢断的球员。
有趣的是，在那场比赛之后，文班亚马唯一想到的是乔丹是否是在一场胜利中完成了这一统计里程碑。
乔丹做到了。
直到他的第二个赛季，文班亚马才再次打出5x5的数据。10月31日对阵犹他爵士队的比赛中，文班亚马得到25分和9个篮板，还有7次助攻、5次抢断和5次盖帽，成为继哈基姆·奥拉朱旺(Hakeem Olajuwon)（六次）和安德烈·基里连科(Andrei Kirilenko)（三次）之后，第三位多次打出5x5数据的球员。而这一次，文班亚马也赢得了比赛的胜利。
这位法国人当晚明确表示，他想要更多。
“当我没有拿到5x5时，我需要提高我的标准，因为我能够在所有这些方面帮助我的球队，”他说。“这应该是一件持续的事情。”
40分20篮板的比赛：2024年3月29日
在文班亚马新秀赛季的春天，又一场史诗般的对决上演了。他砍下了当时职业生涯最高的40分和20个篮板，帮助圣安东尼奥力克由贾伦·布伦森(Jalen Brunson)领衔的顽强的纽约尼克斯队，后者砍下了61分。
兴奋的文班亚马在赛后将比赛用球扔向了看台。
与此同时，马刺队教练格雷格·波波维奇(Gregg Popovich)在文班亚马砍下40分20篮板后承认，他经常忘记这位球队的基石球员只有20岁。
“我敢肯定我会忘记，因为当你看着一个年轻的孩子，如果他失误了或者没有接稳球，我会狠狠地批评他，”波波维奇说。“这恰恰显示了当他理解了所有施加在他身上的身体对抗以及如何应对时，他会成为什么样的球员。幸运的是，他也是一个出色的传球手。所以，他非常特别。”
根据ESPN Research的数据，那晚标志着NBA历史上第二次出现一位球员砍下40分20篮板，而另一位球员砍下60分。另一次发生在1961年，埃尔金·贝勒(Elgin Baylor)在那场比赛中得到63分，而威尔特·张伯伦(Wilt Chamberlain)得到78分和43个篮板。
去年三月没有人知道，但文班亚马和布伦森的这场战斗成为了九个月后圣诞节在麦迪逊广场花园再次对决的预演。
“这个赛季才刚刚开始几个月，我已经见证了如此多的伟大，我想成为其中的一部分，”文班亚马说。“我一直都想。但现在越来越多地看到我已经能够与这些家伙竞争。我还没有达到他们的水平。但我走在正确的道路上。我知道这一点，而且我很快就会到达那里。”
50分的比赛：2024年11月13日
马刺队控球后卫克里斯·保罗(Chris Paul)在20年的名人堂职业生涯中与232名队友并肩作战。但他们中没有一个像文班亚马在139-130战胜华盛顿奇才队的比赛中砍下职业生涯最高的50分后那样，让保罗摇头不已。
保罗记不清他参与过多少场50分的比赛，但他确信他从未见过像11月13日晚上那样的比赛。文班亚马对阵奇才队打了32分钟，但在26分钟内就达到了50分。
比赛还剩8分49秒时，文班亚马在左翼用一记长两分球越过科里·基斯珀特(Corey Kispert)，拿到了他的第50分。在第三节，文班亚马7投7中，三分球4投4中，得到19分、4个篮板、1次助攻和1次盖帽。
“非常令人印象深刻，”这位控球后卫说。
也许更令人印象深刻的是文班亚马摧毁奇才队的方式。考虑到法国人在这场比赛中三分球的重要性，人们很容易忘记他的三次扣篮，或者他得到了圣安东尼奥40分油漆区得分中的14分，并送出了三次盖帽。
文班亚马通过命中职业生涯最高的8个三分球，三分命中率达到50%，为关于他过度依赖三分球的争论增添了新的素材。
尽管如此，约翰逊对文班亚马的投篮选择表示满意。
“如果你仔细观察，它们都是很好的，有节奏的投篮，”约翰逊说。“当他开始投进这些球时，这似乎为他打开了其他进攻篮筐的途径。他可以虚晃过掉防守者。”
文班亚马成为第四年轻的砍下50分的球员，也是最高的，身高7英尺4英寸。在那场比赛的前67秒，文班亚马得分或助攻了连续四次投篮命中，帮助马刺队早早取得13-3的领先。
“我从来没有得到过50分，”保罗说。“所以，这很艰难。而且我们赢了。”
文班亚马用了83场职业比赛才完成了他的第一次50分表演，这是自1976-77赛季NBA/ABA合并以来，达到这一里程碑第四少的比赛场次。
赛后，文班亚马没有庆祝，而是去了举重室进行快速训练。
“我喜欢在一段时间内庆祝小的胜利和大胜利，”他说。“我会给自己一点时间来反思。这绝对是一个重要的里程碑。这就像一个私人俱乐部。”
圣诞大战首秀：2024年12月25日
约翰逊在赛前谈到了文班亚马在大舞台上闪耀的 penchant。没有比圣诞节的麦迪逊广场花园更大的舞台了。
“他拥抱这一刻，我认为当有真正优秀的球员投入了准备工作并拥有正确的心态时，通常你会看到他们在重要的时刻茁壮成长，”约翰逊说。
在圣诞大战首秀中，文班亚马砍下全场最高的42分，这也是圣诞节在麦迪逊广场花园客队球员的最高得分，此外还有18个篮板、4次助攻和4次盖帽，但球队以117-114输掉了比赛。
文班亚马成为继张伯伦（1959年和1961年）和尼古拉·约基奇(Nikola Jokic)（2022年）之后，NBA历史上第三位在圣诞大战中砍下40+得分和15+篮板的球员。文班亚马的42分在NBA历史上圣诞大战首秀球员中排名第三，仅次于张伯伦（45分）和特雷西·麦克格雷迪(Tracy McGrady)（43分）。
“我真的不了解圣诞大战的历史，”文班亚马说。但他承认感受到了在麦迪逊广场花园进行圣诞大战的特殊氛围。
文班亚马将他的这场比赛列为他年轻职业生涯中“大概前10%”的表现。
ESPN Research 的马特·威廉姆斯(Matt Williams)对本报道有贡献。
点击查看原文：The best moments of Victor Wembanyama's first 100 games
The best moments of Victor Wembanyama’s first 100 games
When the San Antonio Spurs drafted Victor Wembanyama with the No. 1 pick in 2023, it was with the expectation that the 19-year-old Frenchman would be the face of the franchise and, one day, the league. Wembanyama finished his rookie season as the unanimous Rookie of the Year and was a finalist for Defensive Player of the Year.
He became only the second rookie in NBA history to lead the league in blocks (since blocks were first officially recorded as a stat in 1973-74), joining Manute Bol, who did so in 1985-86. He also hit 128 3s, making him the first player in NBA history with 250 blocks and 100 3-pointers in the same season.
“It’s crazy how spectacular his simple is,” acting Spurs coach Mitch Johnson said Tuesday.
Wembanyama has showcased as much in his second season, along with the imagination and creativity already oozing from his game during a strong December in which he became the first player in NBA history to produce 300-plus points (342), 100-plus rebounds (120), 50-plus assists (58), 50-plus blocks (53) and 40-plus made 3-pointers (43) in a single month.
Wembanyama now ranks as the first in league annals to post 2,000-plus points, 1,000-plus rebounds and 200-plus 3-pointers within his first 100 outings. The latest development in Wembanyama’s game coalesced over the month of December as the result of locking in on solid fundamentals and combining them with all the awe-inspiring elements we’ve become accustomed to seeing from the generational talent.
“I don’t try to show off,” Wembanyama said. "But it’s true I try to find new ways to improve my game and find ways around the adjustments of the defenders, too. And I’m not scared of the unconventional. This is what it’s all about. I have to trust my instincts because I know the craziness happens by itself, and I don’t need to force it. "
The Spurs agree and won’t stand in the way of Wembanyama conducting business on his terms.
“Victor’s creativity is something that we won’t ever sacrifice,” Johnson said. “His imagination and commitment to be his own person and player is strong. The biggest thing is just continuing to understand and know when to utilize what weapons he has in certain situations.”
Ahead of Wembanyama’s 100th career game Friday, on the eve of his 21st birthday, here are some of the best statistical performances of his young career:
Wembanyama scores 38 in fifth NBA game: Nov. 2, 2023
In just his fifth career game, Wembanyama gave the NBA a preview of what he was capable of and why he was touted as a generational prospect.
San Antonio squandered a 27-point lead, leaving the score tied at 116 with 4:21 left to play against Kevin Durant and the Phoenix Suns.
But a Wembanyama takeover immediately commenced at that point, and the rookie poured in 10 points during a 12-0 San Antonio run as the Spurs strolled out of the Footprint Center with a 132-121 victory.
“Somebody’s got to do it,” Wembanyama said of the late-game takeover.
He rang up 38 points and 10 rebounds with two blocks while Durant scored 28 points and Devin Booker added 31.
Wembanyama’s 38 points tied for the third-most by a rookie in franchise history behind David Robinson, who in 1990 put together games of 41 and 39 points.
“Just trying to figure out what he is because we have never seen him before,” Booker said.
10-block games: Feb. 12, 2024, and Dec. 21, 2024
Wembanyama had logged a triple-double before, but the one last Feb. 12 hit different because it came as the result of 10 blocks. Swatting away a shot by Toronto’s Gradey Dick in the fourth quarter of a 122-99 win, Wembanyama logged the league’s first triple-double with blocks in more than three years.
Wembanyama finished that night with 27 points, 14 rebounds, 10 blocks and 5 assists in 29 minutes, becoming the first player to tally 10 blocks and 5 assists in fewer than 30 minutes played, according to ESPN Research.
The 20-year-old matched that 10-block performance last month, also scoring 30 points in a 114-94 triumph over the Portland Trail Blazers. It’s worth noting Wembanyama sat out the final 8½ minutes of that contest.
He became the first player to knock down four 3-pointers with 10 blocks in a game, and the first player under age 21 to post multiple games with double-figure blocks since 1973-74, when blocks became an official NBA statistic.
5x5 games: Feb. 23, 2024, and Oct. 31, 2024
Wembanyama fell one assist short of his first 5x5 game last Feb. 22 in Sacramento. But 384 miles down the road in Los Angeles the following night, Wembanyama logged a 5x5 performance in a 123-118 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers.
Wembanyama joined Jamaal Tinsley (2001) as the only rookies to produce a 5x5 game, which is composed of at least 5 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists, 5 steals and 5 blocks. He also became just the second player since Michael Jordan to log 5 blocks and 5 steals in consecutive outings.
Interestingly, all Wembanyama could think about after that performance was whether Jordan accomplished that statistical milestone in a victory.
He did.
Wembanyama wouldn’t put together another 5x5 performance until his second season. On Oct. 31 against the Utah Jazz, Wembanyama racked up 25 points and 9 rebounds to go with 7 assists, 5 steals and 5 blocks, becoming the third player with multiple 5x5 games, behind Hakeem Olajuwon (six) and Andrei Kirilenko (three). And this time, Wembanyama got the win, too.
The Frenchman made it clear that night that he wants more.
“I need to get my standards up when I don’t get 5x5s because I am able to help my team in all those areas,” he said. “It should be a consistent thing.”
40-20 game: Mar. 29, 2024
Another epic duel transpired in the spring of Wembanyama’s rookie season, when he scored a then career-high 40 points to go with 20 rebounds as San Antonio outlasted a feisty New York Knicks team carried by Jalen Brunson, who poured in 61 points.
An excited Wembanyama launched the game ball into the stands after the win.
Meanwhile, Spurs coach Gregg Popovich admitted in the aftermath of Wembanyama’s 40-20 gem that he often forgets the franchise cornerstone is just 20 years old.
“I’m sure I do because when you’re looking at a young kid, if he turns it over [or] doesn’t catch it strong, I’m on his ass,” Popovich said. “It just shows what he’s gonna be when he understands all the physicality that’s coming at him all the time, and what to do about it. Fortunately, he’s also a hell of a passer. So, he’s pretty special.”
That night marked just the second time in NBA history, according to ESPN Research, that one player produced a 40-point, 20-rebound performance and another logged a 60-point outing. The other instance took place in 1961 during a game in which Elgin Baylor scored 63 points and Wilt Chamberlain posted 78 points and 43 rebounds.
Nobody knew it last March, but the Wembanyama-Brunson battle served as a precursor to a rematch that would unfold nine months later on Christmas Day at Madison Square Garden.
“This season has only been going on for just some months, and I’ve just witnessed so much greatness, and I want to be a part of it,” Wembanyama said. “I’ve always wanted to. But [now] more and more, seeing that I’m already able to compete with those guys. I’m not there. But I’m on the right path. I know it, and I’m gonna get there one day soon.”
50-point game: Nov. 13, 2024
Spurs point guard Chris Paul has played with 232 teammates over a 20-year Hall of Fame career. But none of them left Paul shaking his head like he did in the aftermath of Wembanyama’s career-best 50-point showing in a 139-130 win over the Washington Wizards.
Paul couldn’t recall how many 50-point games he’d been a part of, but he’s certain he has never seen one quite like the night of Nov. 13. Wembanyama played 32 minutes against the Wizards, but reached 50 points in 26 minutes.
Wembanyama hit the 50-point mark on a long 2 over Corey Kispert with 8:49 remaining from the left wing. In the third quarter, Wembanyama shot a perfect 7-of-7 from the floor and 4-of-4 from 3-point range for 19 points with 4 rebounds, 1 assist and 1 block.
“Very impressive,” the point guard said.
Perhaps even more so is the manner in which Wembanyama blistered the Wizards. Given the magnitude of the Frenchman’s 3-point shooting in that matchup, it’s easy to forget his three dunks or the fact that he scored 14 of San Antonio’s 40 points in the paint and blocked three shots.
Wembanyama added fuel to the debate that night about his 3-point-heavy shot diet by drilling a career-best eight 3-pointers on 50% from deep.
Still, Johnson expressed satisfaction with Wembanyama’s shot selection.
“If you looked at them, they were good, rhythm shots,” Johnson said. “When he starts to make them, it seems like that opens up other avenues for him to attack the basket. He can up-fake people and go by them.”
Wembanyama became the fourth-youngest player to score 50 points in a game, as well as the tallest, at 7-foot-4. Over the first 67 seconds of that outing, Wembanyama scored or assisted on four consecutive field goals to help the Spurs seize an early 13-3 lead.
“I ain’t ever had 50,” Paul said. “So, that’s tough. And we won.”
It took Wembanyama 83 career games to produce his first 50-point performance, the fourth-fewest games to reach that milestone since the NBA/ABA merger in 1976-77.
Instead of celebrating after the win, Wembanyama hit the weight room for a quick lift.
“I love to celebrate the small wins and the big wins for a certain amount of time,” he said. “I’m going to give myself a little bit of time to reflect. It’s definitely a big milestone. It’s kind of a private club.”
Christmas Day debut: Dec. 25, 2024
Johnson talked before the game about Wembanyama’s penchant for shining on the game’s biggest stages. And it doesn’t get much grander than Madison Square Garden on Christmas Day.
“He embraces the moment, and I think when there’s really good players who put in the preparation and have the right mindset, typically you see them thrive in the big moments,” Johnson said.
Making his Christmas Day debut, Wembanyama scored a game-high 42 points, which registered as the most by a visitor at Madison Square Garden on Christmas, in addition to contributing 18 rebounds, 4 assists and 4 blocks in a 117-114 loss.
Wembanyama became the third player in league history after Chamberlain (1959 and 1961) and Nikola Jokic (2022) to score 40-plus points with 15-plus rebounds in a Christmas game. Wembanyama’s 42 points ranked third in NBA history for a player making his Christmas Day debut, behind Chamberlain (45) and Tracy McGrady (43).
“I don’t even know, really, the history by heart of Christmas games,” Wembanyama said. But he admitted to feeling the special atmosphere of a Christmas Day game at the Garden.
Wembanyama placed his showing in “probably [the] top 10%” of performances of his young career.
Matt Williams of ESPN Research contributed to this story.
By Michael C. Wright | ESPN, via ESPN
