By Tom Orsborn, Staff writer | San Antonio Express-News (SAEN), 2025-02-19 14:47:01
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。
奥斯汀 - 在凯文·杜兰特(Kevin Durant)权衡勒布朗·詹姆斯退役后，谁将成为下一个“NBA门面”的辩论之前，他需要先明确几个问题。
“联盟门面是什么？这需要承担什么责任？当你成为联盟门面时，你应该做什么？”这位菲尼克斯太阳队的超级巨星在周三穆迪体育馆举行的新闻发布会上说道，太阳队将于周四晚上对阵圣安东尼奥马刺队。
当被问及他是否认为一位国际球员——即马刺队的文班亚马(Victor Wembanyama)——可以成为NBA的门面时，这个话题被提了出来。
凭借他的人格魅力、对媒体友好的态度和超凡脱俗的球技，这位21岁的法国球员是接替詹姆斯的有力候选人。
“我不认为他缺少任何东西，”杜兰特在被问及文班亚马的比赛以及他作为球员的下一步发展方向时说道。
“他只需要在NBA经历更多。对他来说现在还很早。这只是他的第二个赛季。他还没有经历过季后赛，这对每个球员来说都是一次大开眼界的经历，尤其是像他这种级别的球员。在那样的处境下，他会更多地了解自己和他的球队。所以，我只是认为他走在通往我们所见过的最伟大球员之一的正确道路上，而这只是关于实时经历这些，并从中学习以变得更好。所以，我的意思是，他走在正确的轨道上。”
尽管如此，在得到对“联盟门面”这一角色清晰的定义之前，杜兰特并不准备将这位身高7尺3的全明星中锋兼2023-2024年度最佳新秀贴上“联盟门面”的标签。
“我只是想说，随之而来的是什么？”杜兰特说。“这似乎不仅仅是篮球，所以当我们谈论它时，我想知道。你有什么答案给我吗？我认为这不仅仅是篮球，因为安特（明尼苏达森林狼队的安东尼·爱德华兹）打得很好，但他们说他不适合成为联盟门面。或者（洛杉矶湖人队的）卢卡（卢卡·东契奇）打得很好。然后……他们又说国际球员不能成为门面。我不明白联盟门面是什么，这需要承担什么责任。
“我认为所有这些人都影响了篮球文化。很多球员可能都在关注文班亚马或卢卡，并试图模仿他们每天所做的事情，他们也在场外关注他们，看看他们在个人生活中做什么。所以，凭借这种便利性，我认为很多人都有机会作为联盟门面产生巨大的影响，因为他们如此轻松、如此迅速地激励了很多人。”
杜兰特相信这一“整代”年轻球员都有机会共同成为NBA的门面。
“它将以与之前的人们不同的方式影响世界，所以我只是认为（联盟门面）是我们用来进行对话的一个术语。”
Kevin Durant #35 of the Phoenix Suns talks with Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs following the NBA game at Footprint Center on November 02, 2023 in Phoenix, Arizona. The Spurs defeated the Suns 132-121.
Kevin Durant #35 of the Phoenix Suns talks with Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs following the NBA game at Footprint Center on November 02, 2023 in Phoenix, Arizona. The Spurs defeated the Suns 132-121.
PHOENIX, ARIZONA - DECEMBER 03: Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs drives against Kevin Durant #35 of the Phoenix Suns during the first half of the Emirates NBA Cup game at Footprint Center on December 03, 2024 in Phoenix, Arizona.
PHOENIX, ARIZONA - DECEMBER 03: Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs posts up on Kevin Durant #35 of the Phoenix Suns during the first half of the Emirates NBA Cup game at Footprint Center on December 03, 2024 in Phoenix, Arizona.
点击查看原文：Durant says Wembanyama 'on right path' to greatness
Durant says Wembanyama ‘on right path’ to greatness
AUSTIN - Before Kevin Durant weighs into the debate about who will be the next “face of the NBA” after LeBron James retires, he needs a few questions answered.
“What is the face of the league? What does that entail? What do you do when you are the face of the league?” the Phoenix superstar said at a media gathering Wednesday at Moody Coliseum, where the Suns will face the Spurs on Thursday night.
The topic came up when the Phoenix Suns superstar was asked if he thought an international player - namely the Spurs’ Victor Wembanyama could be the face of the NBA.
With his charisma, media friendly attitude and other-worldly skills, the 21-year-old Frenchman is a strong candidate to succeed James.
“I don’t think anything’s missing,” Durant said when asked about Wembanyama’s game and what the next step should be in his progression as a player.
“He just needs to experience more in the NBA. It’s still early for him. It’s his second year. He’s yet to be in the playoffs, which is an eye-opening experience for every player, especially his caliber. He’ll learn a lot about himself and his team in that situation. So, I just think he’s on the right path to being one of the greatest we’ve ever seen, and it’s just about going through those experiences in real time and learning from them to get better. So, I mean he is on the right track.”
Still, Durant isn’t ready to label the 7-foot-3 All-Star center and 2023-2024 Rookie of the Year as the next face of the league until he gets a clear definition of what that job entails.
“I’m just saying what comes with that?” Durant said. "It seems like it’s just more than basketball, so when we talk about it, I want to know. You got an answer for me? I think it’s a little bit more than that because Ant (Minnesota’s Anthony Edwards) is playing great ball and they said he’s not fit to be the face of the league. Or (the Los Angeles Lakers’) Luka (Doncic) is playing great. And…then they say that international players can’t be the face. I don’t understand what the face of the league is and what that entails.
“I think all of these guys have impacted the culture of basketball. So many players are probably watching Victor or Luka and trying to emulate what they do every day, and they are also watching them off the court to see what they do in their personal lives as well. So with the access, I think so many guys got an opportunity to make a huge impact as the face of the league because they’re inspiring so many people so easily, so quick.”
Durant believes this “whole generation” of young players has a chance to collectively be the face of the NBA.
“It’s going to impact the world in a different way than the guys before them, so I just think that (face of the league) is a term we use just so we can have a conversation.”
By Tom Orsborn, Staff writer, via San Antonio Express-News