By Tom Orsborn, Staff writer | San Antonio Express-News (SAEN), 2025-02-14 14:35:28
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。
圣安东尼奥马刺队的斯蒂芬·卡斯尔（5号）在2025年1月17日周五圣安东尼奥举行的一场NBA篮球比赛上半场，扣篮对抗孟菲斯灰熊队的扎克·埃迪（14号）后挂在篮筐上。
旧金山报道——达龙·福克斯(De’Aaron Fox)加入马刺队后的前五场比赛中，他最大的感触之一就是新秀斯蒂芬·卡斯尔(Stephon Castle)投篮时充满自信。
“自从我来到这里，他在比赛中，在我们所做的所有训练中，投篮都非常出色，”福克斯说道。他于2月3日从萨克拉门托加入马刺队，是三队交易中的明星球员。
本赛季投篮命中率为28.9%的卡斯尔，在过去五场比赛中，以场均3.4次的出手，三分球命中率高达41.2%。但在周六晚上，他蓬勃发展的外围技术将让位于他技能包中更令人印象深刻的一面：以惊人的方式完成篮下终结的能力。
在波士顿的失利中拿下20分，并且在过去九场比赛中第七次至少命中两记三分球后，卡斯尔将搁置他成为稳定外线威胁的努力，转而参加在Chase Center举行的扣篮大赛，与芝加哥新秀马塔斯·布泽利斯(Matas Buzelis)、密尔沃基的安德烈·杰克逊(Andre Jackson Jr.)以及奥兰多的两届卫冕冠军麦克·麦克朗(Mac McClung)一较高下。
届时，TNT将在全国范围内直播这场赛事，卡斯尔强劲的弹跳力将成为全国关注的焦点。此前，他的队友们已经惊叹于他整个赛季冲击篮筐的能力。
“他可以变得非常特别，”福克斯说。“球队中的每个人都能看到他的运动天赋。”
卡斯尔的扣篮史始于高中一年级暑假的一次训练，当时他完成了他的第一次扣篮。
“这太疯狂了，”卡斯尔周五告诉记者。“在那之前我已经尝试扣篮很久了，所以终于扣篮成功了，你可以看到我的身体发生了一些转变。我为此感到高兴。”
在亚特兰大郊外的科文顿长大，卡斯尔总是观看扣篮大赛，看看职业球员在做什么，以及他如何“在他们的扣篮中加入自己的特色”。
现在他有机会给年轻的扣将们树立榜样。
“我对此超级有信心，”他谈到比赛时说道。“我对此感到兴奋。有点紧张，但我觉得其他三个人也应该感到紧张。”
卡斯尔为这项赛事热身，贡献了几次精彩的扣篮，包括在上周马刺队战胜老鹰队的比赛中的一次风车扣篮，这场比赛是他的家乡比赛，他认为这是他本赛季表现最好的一次。
这位20岁的康涅狄格大学前球星补充说，他在比赛中的扣篮总是自发的，并且受到他想要给球队带来活力的愿望所驱使。
“我觉得在这种时刻我有点自在，”他说。“归根结底，这只是篮球，只是享受它。但我也对自己的运动天赋有信心，所以我并没有过多地考虑扣篮。我只是走到那里，稍微自由发挥一下。”
卡斯尔并不是唯一一位参加NBA全明星周六之夜赛事的马刺球员。“马刺队”，由维克托·文班亚马(Victor Wembanyama)和克里斯·保罗组成，将参加技巧挑战赛，对抗“骑士队”的多诺万·米切尔和埃文·莫布里，“勇士队”的德雷蒙德·格林和摩西·穆迪以及“新秀队”的扎卡里·里萨谢(Zaccharrie Risacher)和亚历克斯·萨尔。
“他们会表现出色的，”卡斯尔谈到他的队友时说。“我觉得文班比人们想象的更有技巧，尤其是在他这样的身材下。而且，很明显，CP是有史以来最好的控球后卫之一。他们联手将会很有趣。”
卡斯尔表示，如果文班亚马将来参加扣篮大赛，他也不会感到惊讶。
“他实际上有一些我原本认为他无法完成的扣篮，他在几次热身中完成了，所以我认为看到他参加会很酷，”卡斯尔说。“我认为他会带来一场精彩的表演。”
和文班亚马一样，卡斯尔一直在用他的内外线技术奉献精彩的表演，他试图追随这位法国人的脚步，成为年度最佳新秀的得主。对于这位6尺6寸的后卫来说，扣篮易如反掌，但他不得不努力提高他的三分球投篮能力，因为他在哈士奇队时场均只尝试2.2次。
“我觉得这只是对我所付出的一切努力的证明，”他谈到他最近在三分线外的火热状态时说道，这给福克斯留下了深刻的印象。“只是对自己有信心，我的队友和教练都对我充满信心，很高兴看到努力开始得到回报。”
SAN ANTONIO, TX - NOVEMBER 7: Stephon Castle #5 of the San Antonio Spurs dunks against the Portland Trailblazers in the first half at Frost Bank Center on November 7, 2024 in San Antonio, Texas.
San Antonio Spurs guard Stephon Castle dunks during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Washington Wizards, Monday, Feb. 10, 2025, in Washington.
San Antonio Spurs guard Stephon Castle (5) dunks over guard Desmond Bane (22) and center Jay Huff (30) in the second half at Frost Bank Center on Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2025, in San Antonio, Texas. The Spurs fell to the Grizzles, 129-115.
San Antonio Spurs guard Stephon Castle (5) shoots over Indiana Pacers guard Ben Sheppard (26) and forward Pascal Siakam (43) during the second half of a Paris Games 2025 NBA basketball game in Paris, Saturday, Jan. 25, 2025.
San Antonio Spurs’ Stephon Castle, top, reacts after dunking the ball during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the New York Knicks, Wednesday, Dec. 25, 2024, in New York.
DENVER, COLORADO - JANUARY 03: Stephon Castle #5 of the San Antonio Spurs dunks on the Denver Nuggets in the first quarter at Ball Arena on January 03, 2025 in Denver, Colorado.
PARIS, FRANCE - JANUARY 25: Stephon Castle #5 of the San Antonio Spurs dunks the ball against the Indiana Pacers during the fourth quarter at The Accor Arena on January 25, 2025 in Paris, France.
PARIS, FRANCE - JANUARY 25: Stephon Castle #5 of the San Antonio Spurs dunks the ball against the Indiana Pacers during the third quarter at The Accor Arena on January 25, 2025 in Paris, France.
San Antonio Spurs guard Stephon Castle (5) dunks a ball during the first half of their NBA game with the Memphis Grizzlies at the Frost Bank Center on Friday, Jan. 17, 2025 in San Antonio. Castle finished with 20 points though the Spurs fell to Memphis 140-112.
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - JANUARY 06: Stephon Castle #5 of the San Antonio Spurs goes up for a dunk against the Chicago Bulls during the second half at the United Center on January 06, 2025 in Chicago, Illinois.
San Antonio Spurs guard Stephon Castle (5) dunks a ball during the second half of the Spurs NBA game with the Atlanta Hawks at the Frost Bank Center on Thursday, Dec. 19, 2024 in San Antonio. San Antonio beat Atlanta 133-126 in overtime.
San Antonio Spurs guard Stephon Castle (5) dunks the ball over Utah Jazz forward John Collins (20) during the second half of their NBA game at the Frost Bank Center on Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024. Utah beat the Spurs 111-110.
点击查看原文：As his perimeter game grows, Castle looks to shine in dunk contest
As his perimeter game grows, Castle looks to shine in dunk contest
San Antonio Spurs’ Stephon Castle (5) hangs from the rim after dunking against Memphis Grizzlies’ Zach Edey (14) during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Friday, Jan. 17, 2025, in San Antonio.
SAN FRANCISCO – One of De’Aaron Fox’s biggest takeaways from his first five games with the Spurs is that rookie Stephon Castle is shooting with a lot of confidence.
“Since I’ve gotten here, he’s been shooting the (expletive) out of the ball, in games, in all the drills we’ve been doing,” said Fox, who joined the Spurs on Feb. 3 from Sacramento as the marquee piece of a three-team trade.
A 28.9% shooter for the season, Castle has connected on 41.2% from the 3-point stripe on 3.4 attempts per game over the past five contests. But on Saturday night his burgeoning perimeter game will take a back seat to an even more impressive aspect of his skill set: His ability to finish at the rim in spectacular fashion.
Fresh off a 20-point performance in a loss at Boston in which he recorded at least two 3s for the seventh time in the last nine games, Castle will set aside his efforts to become a consistent threat from outside to compete against Chicago rookie Matas Buzelis, Milwaukee’s Andre Jackson Jr. and two-time defending champion Mac McClung of Orlando in the Slam Dunk Contest at Chase Center.
The event will thrust Castle’s powerful hops into the national spotlight in the event televised nationally by TNT after his teammates have marveled all season at his ability to explode to the basket.
“He can be really special,” Fox said. “Everyone on the team can see his athleticism.”
Castle’s dunking history began during a practice in the summer before his freshman year of high school when he recorded a slam for the first time.
“It was crazy,” Castle told reporters Friday. “I had been trying to dunk for a long time before that, so to finally dunk, you could see that my body was kind of transitioning a little bit. I was happy about it.”
Growing up in Covington, Ga., just outside of Atlanta, Castle always watched the Slam Dunk Contest to see what the pros were doing and how he could “put my own twist” on their slams.
Now he’s got a chance to give young dunkers something to emulate.
“I’m super confident about it,” he said about the competition. “I’m excited for it. A little nervous, but I feel like the other three guys should be too.”
Castle warmed up for the event with a couple of spectacular dunks, including a windmill slam, in the Spurs’ win over the Hawks last week in his homecoming game that he counted as his best of the season.
The 20-year-old Connecticut-ex added that his in-game dunks are always spontaneous and motivated by his desire to give his team a spark.
“I feel like I’m kind of comfortable in those kind of moments,” he said. “At the end of the day, it’s just basketball, just having fun with it. But I have confidence in my athleticism too, so I’m not really thinking too much about the dunk. I just go out there and kind of freestyle it a little bit.”
Castle isn’t the only Spur competing in an event on NBA All-Star Saturday night. Team Spurs made up of Victor Wembanyama and Chris Paul will compete in the Skills Challenge against Team Cavs’ Donovan Mitchell and Evan Mobley, Team Warriors’ Draymond Green and Moses Moody and Team Rooks’ Zaccharrie Risacher and Alex Sarr.
“They’re going to do good,” Castle said of his teammates. “I feel like Wemby’s a lot more skilled than people think, especially at his size. And, obviously, CP is one of the best point guards ever. Them teaming up is going to be fun to watch.”
Castle said he wouldn’t be surprised to see Wembanyama participate in the dunk contest someday.
“He actually does have some dunks that I didn’t think he could pull off that he’s done in warm-ups a couple of times, so I think it would be cool to see him in it,” Castle said. “I think he would put on a show.”
Like Wembanyama, Castle has been putting on a show with both his inside and outside games as he attempts to follow in the Frenchman’s footsteps as a Rookie of the Year winner. The dunks come easy for the 6-foot-6 guard, but he’s had to work on his 3-point shooting after attempting just 2.2 per game as a Huskie.
“I feel like it’s just a testament to all the work that I put in,” he said of his recent hot streak from beyond the arc that has so impressed Fox. “Just having that confidence in myself and my teammates and coaches all having that confidence in me, it’s great to see that the work is starting to pay off.”
By Tom Orsborn, Staff writer, via San Antonio Express-News