By Jeff McDonald, Staff writer | San Antonio Express-News (SAEN), 2025-01-04 12:48:51
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。
2025 年 1 月 3 日星期五，在丹佛举行的 NBA 篮球比赛中，圣安东尼奥马刺队后卫克里斯·保罗（中右）在马刺队战胜丹佛掘金队后向中锋维克多·文班亚马(Victor Wembanyama)表示祝贺。（美联社照片/David Zalubowski）
在维克多·文班亚马(Victor Wembanyama)帮助球队在周五以 113-110 击败丹佛掘金队后不久，一位马刺队的队友轻快地走过他的更衣室，向他送上生日祝福，这祝福要么来得太早，要么来自错误的大洲。
“在法国现在是他 21 岁的生日，”桑德罗·马穆克拉什维利(Sandro Mamukelashvili)笑着说道。
当地球自转到北半球的周六早上，文班亚马在美国也正式年满 21 岁。
如果这还不足以让这位冉冉升起的马刺队超级巨星进行反思，那么周五对阵掘金队的激动人心的胜利则标志着文班亚马的第 100 场 NBA 比赛。
他说，这个里程碑让他感到有些意外。
“时间过得真快，”文班亚马说道。“但同时，仔细想想，这其中也包含了丰富的经验。”
丰富的经验——以及许多前所未有的数据。
从统计数据来看，NBA 历史上还没有任何球员的百场数据能与文班亚马相提并论。
在这 100 场比赛中，文班亚马总共得到 2273 分——比勒布朗·詹姆斯或凯文·杜兰特在同一阶段的得分都要高。他抢下 1053 个篮板——比安东尼·戴维斯、帕特里克·尤因或乔尔·恩比德都要多。
他送出 366 次盖帽——比哈基姆·奥拉朱旺、沙奎尔·奥尼尔或迪肯贝·穆托姆博都要多。他投进 225 个三分球——比斯蒂芬·库里、克莱·汤普森或特雷·杨都要多。
同时，NBA 史册上唯一一位在前 100 场比赛中得分、篮板和盖帽总数都达到文班亚马水平的球员是另一位马刺队的传奇人物——大卫·罗宾逊。
“在我看来，他是 NBA 最好的球员，也是最好的防守球员，”马刺队前锋凯尔登·约翰逊(Keldon Johnson)说道。“毫无疑问，这是我的看法。他在攻防两端都对比赛产生了巨大的影响。”
在 2025 年 1 月 3 日星期五于丹佛举行的 NBA 篮球比赛下半场，丹佛掘金队中锋尼古拉·约基奇(Nikola Jokic)（右）试图传球，而圣安东尼奥马刺队中锋维克多·文班亚马(Victor Wembanyama)正在防守。（美联社照片/David Zalubowski）
当文班亚马回顾自己的前 100 场 NBA 比赛时，他承认并非一切都很顺利。
“这是很多经验，很多错误，很多挣扎，以及不够多的胜利，”文班亚马说道。
本赛季的胜利比上赛季来得更频繁一些。在文班亚马的新秀赛季以 22 胜 60 负的战绩结束之后，马刺队在周六与掘金队在霜银行中心的复赛之前，战绩为 18 胜 16 负，位列西部联盟第八。
回顾过去，文班亚马能够清楚地看到他和他的球队所取得的进步。他偶尔还会回顾上赛季的一些早期比赛——并想知道他当时在这个或那个回合中究竟在想什么。
他说，现在和过去的区别就像白天和黑夜一样 stark。
“在森林中盲目前行的感觉越来越少了，”文班亚马说道。“过去有很多尝试（的事情），只是缺乏经验。”
文班亚马表示，即使他还在不断学习，他的目标也是建立一些让他在 25 岁、30 岁、35 岁以及以后都能引以为豪的东西。
在某种程度上，他是在为一个观众表演。
“我总是努力鞭策自己，这样在未来我就可以告诉年轻时的自己，‘他犯了正确的错误，’”文班亚马说道。“‘他的出发点是好的。他努力了。’我尽量不辜负未来的自己。”
文班亚马未来的自己无需担心。
在他前 100 场比赛中，文班亚马曾打出过单场 50 分、单场 40 分 20 篮板、两次单场 10 次盖帽、两次 5x5 和在纽约的圣诞大战首秀中砍下 42 分，这是麦迪逊广场花园在那个重要节日里客队球员的最高得分。
他还全票当选 NBA 年度最佳新秀，并成为第一位入选联盟最佳防守一阵的新秀。在周六的比赛之前，文班亚马已经连续 25 场比赛至少有一个盖帽和一个三分球，这是一个可能永远不会停止的 NBA 纪录。
最重要的是，这位 7 英尺 3 英寸的法国人向马刺队——以及整个篮球界——展示了一种不同的比赛方式。
“维克多的创造力是我们永远不会牺牲的，”马刺队代理教练米奇·约翰逊(Mitch Johnson)说道。“他的想象力和坚持做自己、做自己的球员的决心非常坚定。最重要的是要继续理解并知道在特定情况下何时利用他拥有的武器。”
文班亚马在接下来的 100 场比赛中会有什么样的表现呢？无论是什么，对于那些没有身穿银黑球衣的人来说，这都将是毁灭性的。
“祝联盟在接下来的我不知道多少年里好运，”马刺队后卫德文·瓦塞尔(Devin Vassell)说道。
如今，在所有大洲都已年满 21 岁的文班亚马将在周六迎来他的第 101 场比赛，并向世界各地的 NBA 球迷传达一个信息：
敬请期待。
“这是一次奇妙的冒险，”文班亚马说道，“而这仅仅是个开始。”
Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic, right, passes the ball as San Antonio Spurs forward Keldon Johnson, front left, and center Victor Wembanyama defend in the second half of an NBA basketball game Friday, Jan. 3, 2025, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama, center, loses control of the ball to Denver Nuggets guard Christian Braun, right, as center DeAndre Jordan defends in the second half of an NBA basketball game Friday, Jan. 3, 2025, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic, looks to pass the ball as San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama defends in the second half of an NBA basketball game Friday, Jan. 3, 2025, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama, right, goes over Denver Nuggets guard Jamal Murray, left, to shoot in the second half of an NBA basketball game Friday, Jan. 3, 2025, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Denver Nuggets guard Christian Braun, left, fouls San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama, right, in the second half of an NBA basketball game Friday, Jan. 3, 2025, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama gestures to the bench after hitting a basket against the Denver Nuggets in the first half of an NBA basketball game Friday, Jan. 3, 2025, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic, left, goes up for a basket as San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama defends in the first half of an NBA basketball game Friday, Jan. 3, 2025, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama, front, fights for control of a loose ball with Denver Nuggets guard Russell Westbrook in the first half of an NBA basketball game Friday, Jan. 3, 2025, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic, center, drives to the basket between San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama, left, and guard Chris Paul in the first half of an NBA basketball game Friday, Jan. 3, 2025, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama, left, drives past Denver Nuggets guard Russell Westbrook in the first half of an NBA basketball game Friday, Jan. 3, 2025, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama, left, greets forward Julian Champagnie, right, while taking the court for an NBA basketball game against the Denver Nuggets, Friday, Jan. 3, 2025, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
点击查看原文：Spurs star Victor Wembanyama soars in first 100 NBA games
Spurs star Victor Wembanyama soars in first 100 NBA games
San Antonio Spurs guard Chris Paul, center right, congratulates center Victor Wembanyama after the Spurs’ victory over the Denver Nuggets in an NBA basketball game Friday, Jan. 3, 2025, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Not long after Victor Wembanyama had helped spearhead a 113-110 victory in Denver on Friday, a Spurs teammate breezed by his locker to offer happy birthday wishes that were either premature or coming from the wrong continent.
“It’s his 21st birthday in France,” Sandro Mamukelashvili said with a grin.
Once the Earth had rotated enough to make it Saturday morning in the Northern Hemisphere, Wembanyama officially turned 21 in the United States, too.
If that wasn’t cause enough for reflection for the Spurs’ ascending superstar, Friday’s stirring win over the Nuggets marked the occasion of Wembanyama’s 100th game in the NBA.
It was a milestone he says snuck up on him.
“It goes by fast,” Wembanyama said. “At the same time, it is a lot of experience when you think about it.”
A lot of experience – and a lot of never-before-seen numbers.
Statistically speaking, no player in NBA history has posted a first 100 games quite like Wembanyama’s.
In those 100 contests, Wembanyama totaled 2,273 points – more than LeBron James or Kevin Durant had at that point. He collected 1,053 rebounds – more than Anthony Davis, Patrick Ewing or Joel Embiid.
He tallied 366 blocks – more than Hakeem Olajuwon, Shaquille O’Neal or Dikembe Mutombo. He made 225 3-pointers – more than Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson or Trae Young.
Meanwhile, the only other player in NBA annals to reach each of Wembanyama’s points, rebounds and blocks totals in their first 100 games was another Spurs great – David Robinson.
“In my eyes, he is the best player in the NBA, the best defensive player as well,” Spurs forward Keldon Johnson said. “It’s hands down, in my opinion. He affects the game on both ends tremendously.”
Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic, right, looks to pass the ball as San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama defends in the second half of an NBA basketball game Friday, Jan. 3, 2025, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
When Wembanyama accounts for his first 100 games in the NBA, he acknowledges not everything went like gangbusters.
“It’s a lot of experience, a lot of mistakes, a lot of struggles, not enough wins,” Wembanyama said.
The wins are coming a little more frequently this season than last. After a 22-60 finish in Wembanyama’s rookie season, the Spurs entered Saturday’s rematch with the Nuggets at the Frost Bank Center with an 18-16 mark, good for eighth in the Western Conference.
Looking back, Wembanyama is able to see clearly the progress he and his team have made. On occasion, he will still revisit some of his earliest games from last season – and wonder what in the world he was thinking with this play or that.
The difference between now and then is as stark as night and day, he says.
“It’s less and less walking through the forest blindly,” Wembanyama said. “It used to be a lot of trying (things), just a lack of experience.”
Even as he continues to learn, Wembanyama says, the goal is to build something he can be proud of at the age of 25, and at 30 and 35 and beyond.
In a way, he is playing for an audience of one.
“I always trying to push myself, so in the future I can tell my younger self, ‘He made the right mistakes,’ ” Wembanyama said. “ ‘He had good intentions. He played hard.’ I try not to betray my future self.”
Wembanyama’s future self need not worry.
Over his first 100 outings, Wembanyama has produced a 50-point game, a 40-20 game, a pair of 10-block games, two 5x5 games and a 42-point Christmas Day debut in New York that marked the most scored by a visitor to Madison Square Garden on that marquee holiday.
He also became the unanimous NBA Rookie of the Year, and the first rookie to be named to the league’s All-Defensive first team. Wembanyama entered Saturday’s game riding a streak of 25 consecutive games with at least one block and one 3-pointer, an NBA record that might not ever come to a halt.
More than anything else, the 7-foot-3 Frenchman has demonstrated to the Spurs – and to the basketball-watching world at large – a different way to play the game.
“Victor’s creativity is something that we won’t ever sacrifice,” Spurs acting coach Mitch 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.”
What might Wembanyama have in store for his next 100 games? Whatever it is, it will probably be devastating to those not wearing silver and black.
“Good luck to the league for the next I don’t know how many years,” Spurs guard Devin Vassell said.
Now a ripe old age of 21 on all continents, Wembanyama was set to take the floor for Game No. 101 on Saturday with a message for NBA fans everywhere:
Stay tuned.
“It’s a hell of an adventure,” Wembanyama said, “and it’s just the start.”
By Jeff McDonald, Staff writer, via San Antonio Express-News