[SAEN] 马刺队瓦塞尔球衣即将退役

By Jeff McDonald, Staff Writer | San Antonio Express-News (SAEN), 2025-02-03 14:49:28

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。

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2025年1月31日星期五,在德克萨斯州圣安东尼奥的弗罗斯特银行中心,圣安东尼奥马刺队后卫德文·瓦塞尔(Devin Vassell)(24号)和圣安东尼奥马刺队后卫斯蒂芬·卡斯尔(Stephon Castle)(5号)在准备迎战密尔沃基雄鹿队的比赛中,在国歌奏响时低头致敬。

田纳西州孟菲斯——马刺队后卫德文·瓦塞尔(Devin Vassell)本周有一个额外的特殊理由期待回到他的母校。

周二晚上,瓦塞尔将成为亚特兰大郊外桃树岭高中第一个退役球衣号码的球员。

他已经写好了致辞。这并没有花很长时间。

“这将很快,”瓦塞尔说道,他并不认为公开演讲是他最喜欢的消遣。“三句话,我就结束了。”

瓦塞尔在2015-2019年就读桃树岭高中时身穿24号球衣,这与他在佛罗里达州立大学以及在NBA马刺队效力时的号码相同。

周二之后,瓦塞尔母校将不会再有人穿上24号球衣。

学校计划在狮子队与伯克马队比赛之前,将这件球衣悬挂在海沃德表演中心体育馆的 rafters 上。马刺队将于周三在亚特兰大迎战老鹰队。

瓦塞尔显然被这一举动所感动。

“这是这所学校第一次有球衣退役,”这位24岁的瓦塞尔说道,他在佐治亚州萨沃尼的亚特兰大郊区长大。“所以这正在创造历史。”

带着反思的心情回家,瓦塞尔回忆起他在桃树岭高中学习比赛的早期时光。

2015年,他作为新生入学时,并没有被预定成为学校第一个退役球衣的球员。

“我当时大概5英尺8英寸(约173厘米),145磅(约66公斤),”瓦塞尔说。“我那时还是个小孩子。”

在二年级开始前的一次猛长,以及在三年级开始前的又一次猛长,为瓦塞尔走向篮球明星之路铺平了道路。

“医生一直说,‘他会长到6英尺2英寸(约188厘米)或6英尺3英寸(约191厘米)’——而我在很长一段时间里都是5英尺8英寸,”现在身高6英尺5英寸(约196厘米)的瓦塞尔说。“终于,一个夏天,我回到学校,每个人都像,‘德文?’”

直到三年级,瓦塞尔才成为狮子队校队的正式成员。

高四时,瓦塞尔场均得到21.6分和8.9个篮板,获得了地区年度最佳球员的荣誉,之后他前往佛罗里达州立大学就读。

“我绝对是通过努力一步步走到今天的,”瓦塞尔说。“我不是那种一年级就一直打校队比赛的球员。这让我真正地去努力。这让我感激有不同等级需要攀登的事实。”

点击查看原文:Spurs' Vassell set for jersey retirement

Spurs’ Vassell set for jersey retirement

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San Antonio Spurs guard Devin Vassell (24) and San Antonio Spurs guard Stephon Castle (5) bow their heads during the National Anthem as they prepare to take on the Milwaukee Bucks at Frost Bank Center on Friday, Jan. 31, 2025, in San Antonio, Texas.

MEMPHIS, Tenn. – Spurs guard Devin Vassell has an extra special reason to look forward to returning to his old stomping grounds this week.

On Tuesday night, Vassell is scheduled to become the first player to have his jersey number retired at Peachtree Ridge High School outside of Atlanta.

He already has the acceptance speech written. It did not take long.

“It’s going to be quick,” said Vassell, who does not count public speaking among his favorite pasttimes. “Three sentences and I’m out.”

Vassell wore No. 24 while playing at Peachtree Ridge from 2015-2019, same as he did in college at Florida State and in the NBA with the Spurs.

After Tuesday, nobody at Vassell’s old high school will don No. 24 again.

The school plans to raise it to the rafters inside the gym at the Heyward Performance Center before the Lions’ game against Berkmar. The Spurs are in Atlanta to face the Hawks on Wednesday.

Vassell is clearly touched by the gesture.

“It’s the first time a jersey is going up in that school,” said the 24-year-old Vassell, who grew up in the Atlanta suburb of Suwanee, Ga. "So it’s making history.”

Heading home in a reflective mood, Vassell recalls his early days learning the game at Peachtree Ridge.

He did not hit the campus as freshman in 2015 ticketed to become the first player to have his jersey retired at the school.

“I was probably 5-8, 145 (pounds),” Vassell said. “I was a little kid.”

A growth spurt before the start of his sophomore year, and another before his junior year, eased Vassell’s path to basketball stardom.

“The doctor kept saying, ‘He’ll be 6-2 or 6-3.’ – and I was 5-8 for the longest time," said Vassell, who is now 6-5. "One summer, finally, I came back to school and everyone was like, ‘Dev?’ "

Vassell did not earn his status as a full-time member of the Lions’ varsity until his junior season.

As a senior, Vassell averaged 21.6 points and 8.9 rebounds per game to earn regional Player of the Year honors before heading to college at Florida State.

“I definitely had to work my way up,” Vassell said. “I wasn’t a freshman playing varsity the whole time. It made me really grind. It made me appreciate the fact that there were levels to climb.”

By Jeff McDonald, Staff Writer, via San Antonio Express-News