By Jeff McDonald, Staff writer | San Antonio Express-News (SAEN), 2025-03-01 15:29:35
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。
2024年10月9日，圣安东尼奥马刺队主教练格雷格·波波维奇(Gregg Popovich)在与奥兰多魔术队的NBA季前赛上半场期间，与后卫克里斯·保罗(Chris Paul)（3号）和中锋维克多·文班亚马(Victor Wembanyama)（1号）交谈。圣安东尼奥以107-97击败奥兰多。
田纳西州孟菲斯——周四上午，马刺队的训练馆一片寂静，气氛紧张而微妙，让前锋凯尔登·约翰逊(Keldon Johnson)感到久违。
这只能意味着一件事：格雷格·波波维奇回来了。
“我们尊重所有人，但当波波在场时，你肯定能感觉到，” 约翰逊说。“所有人都（消音）闭嘴。”
这并非一次普通的队内会议。
这是自11月2日下午，76岁的名人堂教练波波维奇因中风赛季报销以来，首次亲自与球员们见面。
对于 约翰逊 和其他马刺球员来说，波波维奇在场时那种鸦雀无声的氛围，简直是天籁之音。
“他有一种与众不同的气场，” 前锋桑德罗·马穆克拉什维利(Sandro Mamukelashvili)说。“就像校长走进你的教室一样。”
波波维奇周四来球馆的表面目的是宣布一个苦乐参半的消息。
波波维奇和他的医生认为，再次尝试在本赛季执教并不符合他的最佳利益。球队将继续由代理教练米奇·约翰逊(Mitch Johnson)带领，就像本赛季前五场比赛之外的所有比赛一样。
波波维奇希望球员们直接从他口中听到这个消息。
教练还明确表示，他并没有放弃在未来某个时候重返教练席的目标。在球员会议结束后，马刺队发布了一份书面公开声明，他再次重申了这个愿望。
2024年1月4日，圣安东尼奥马刺队主教练格雷格·波波维奇在与密尔沃基雄鹿队的比赛下半场向裁判抱怨判罚。密尔沃基以125-121击败马刺。
已经是第六个赛季，在队中为波波维奇效力时间最长的 约翰逊 表示，训练馆的气氛非常激动。
“人们关注的都是篮球方面的事情，但波波的健康才是最重要的，” 约翰逊 在周六孟菲斯比赛前说。“看到他，听到他的声音，看到他状态好转，这对我来说才是最重要的。他有一种会继续战斗和拼搏的心态。这绝对激励了我们。”
总的来说，马刺队感到欣慰的是，他们的教练看起来和表现得都和他们记忆中的波波维奇差不多。
“除了康复之路上的那些事情，他还是他自己，说话什么的都一样，” 约翰逊说。
米奇·约翰逊表示，波波维奇的出现对球员和工作人员“意义重大”。
“再次看到他在球员面前侃侃而谈，真是太酷了，”他说。“看到他们的投入和专注，真是太酷、太有力量了。”
波波维奇并不是马刺队球员周四见到的唯一关键人物。
同样出席的还有维克多·文班亚马，这位全明星中锋因2月21日的深静脉血栓而被宣布赛季报销。
对许多球员来说，这是自全明星周末前以来第一次见到 文班亚马。
“他的心态也很好，”凯尔登·约翰逊说。“我们回家后见到了两个对我们所做的事情真正至关重要的人。知道他们俩都很好，这对球队来说意义重大。”
周四的会议不仅仅是关于波波维奇的健康状况。
毕竟，马刺队正处于连败之中，前往孟菲斯前已经四连败。此前，他们挥霍了两位数的领先优势，接连输给了实力较弱的新奥尔良鹈鹕队。
“他对我们最近的比赛方式说了一些激动人心的话，” 老将前锋哈里森·巴恩斯(Harrison Barnes)说。
其中是否夹杂着一些粗俗的词语？
“偶尔会冒出一些，” 巴恩斯笑着说。“这就是你知道他状态好的标志。”
信息很明确。虽然不在视线范围内，但波波维奇仍然在关注着。
球员们仍然要对他们的老板负责。
约翰逊表示，波波维奇在会议中花了一些时间讨论了最近比赛中的具体情况，马刺队本可以处理得更好。
“感觉就像，天哪，他真的在看比赛，” 约翰逊说。“他仍然在那里。他会训斥我们，告诉我们哪里做错了。”
这就是马刺队有多么想念他们的主教练。他们甚至怀念被他骂的日子。
“我们不希望有其他方式，” 约翰逊说。“知道他仍然在看比赛，仍然在批评，仍然保持着那种执教心态，这是一种额外的安慰。”
波波维奇何时以及是否能够从球场边而不是电视机前进行执教，仍然是一个悬而未决的问题。
在很大程度上，这将由波波维奇、他的医疗团队和马刺队来决定。
目前，球员们只能专注于在米奇·约翰逊的带领下尽可能好地完成本赛季，同时等待着只有波波维奇才能制造的寂静的回归。
“对他和我们来说，这都很艰难，” 凯尔登·约翰逊说。“他知道我们支持他，他只需要保持战斗，每天都保持自信，每天都努力拼搏。他会的。我们百分百肯定。”
San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich disagrees with a foul call on the Spurs during the second quarter against the Chicago Bulls at Frost Bank Center on Friday, Dec. 8, 2023, in San Antonio, Texas. The Bulls defeated the Spurs, 121-112.
Spurs coach Gregg Popovich talks with forward Victor Wembanyama during a time out in the first half of their NBA game with the Minnesota Timberwolves at the Frost Bank Center on Saturday, Jan. 27, 2024. San Antonio beat Minnesota 113-112.
San Antonio Spurs guard Chris Paul has a word with Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich, during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Utah Jazz, Thursday, Oct. 31, 2024, in Salt Lake City. (AP Photo/Rick Egan)
San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich, left, greets Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama as he walks off of the court during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Houston Rockets, Monday, Oct. 28, 2024, in San Antonio. (AP Photo/Darren Abate)
San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich talks with guard Chris Paul (3) during a time out in the second half of their NBA home opener with the Houston Rockets at the Frost Bank Center on Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024. The Spurs beat the Rockets 109-106.
OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLAHOMA - OCTOBER 30: Head Coach Gregg Popovich of the San Antonio Spurs talks with his team during a timeout during the second half of a game against the Oklahoma City Thunder at Paycom Center on October 30, 2024 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The Thunder defeated the Spurs 105-93.
点击查看原文：Inside Gregg Popovich's emotional meeting with Spurs players
Inside Gregg Popovich’s emotional meeting with Spurs players
San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich talks to guard Chris Paul (3) and center Victor Wembanyama (1) during the first half of their NBA preseason game with Orlando at the Frost Bank Center on Wednesday, Oct 9, 2024. San Antonio beat Orlando 107-97.
MEMPHIS, Tenn. – A hush fell over the Spurs’ practice facility on Thursday morning, creating a particular strain of nervous quiet that forward Keldon Johnson had not heard in a long time.
It could only mean one thing: Gregg Popovich was back in the building.
“We show everybody respect, but you definitely know when Pop is there,” Johnson said. "Everybody shuts the (expletive) up.”
This was no ordinary team meeting.
It marked the first time the 76-year-old Hall of Fame coach had addressed his players in person since suffering a season-ending stroke on the afternoon of Nov. 2.
For Johnson and other Spurs, the pin-drop silence Popovich’s presence spawned was music to the ears.
“He just has a different kind of aura,” forward Sandro Mamukelashvili said. “Like when the principal walks into your classroom.”
The purported purpose of Popovich’s visit to the gym Thursday was to deliver bittersweet news.
Popovich and his doctors had decided it would not be in his best interest to attempt to coach again this season. The team will remain in the hands of acting coach Mitch Johnson, as has been the case for all but the first five games of the campaign.
Popovich wanted players to hear the headline directly from him.
The coach also made clear he was not surrendering the goal of returning to the bench at some point in the future, a desire he would reiterate in a written public statement the Spurs released after the players’ meeting.
San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich argues a call with an official during the second half of their game with the Milwaukee Bucks at the Frost Bank Center on Thursday, Jan. 4, 2024. Milwaukee beat the Spurs 125-121.
Johnson, who in his sixth season has played for Popovich longer than anyone one roster, said the scene at the practice facility was an emotional one.
“People look at the basketball aspect of everything, but the well-being of Pop is what’s most important,” Johnson said before Saturday’s game in Memphis. “To see him and hear his voice and see he’s doing better, that was the main thing for me. He has the mindset he’s going to keep fighting and keep battling. It’s definitely been inspiring for us.”
Mostly, the Spurs were heartened to see their coach looking and behaving mostly like the Popovich they remembered.
“Other than things that come with the road to recovery he was himself, talking and things like that,” Johnson said.
Mitch Johnson said Popovich’s appearance “meant a lot” to players and staffers.
“It was just cool to see him holding court in front of the guys again,” he said. “That was what was pretty cool and powerful to see, just to see their engagement and attention on him.”
Popovich wasn’t the only key figure Spurs players caught up with Thursday.
Also in attendance was Victor Wembanyama, the All-Star center who was ruled out for the season with deep vein thrombosis Feb. 21.
For many players, it was the first time to see Wembanyama since before the All-Star break.
“He’s in a great mindset as well,” Keldon Johnson said. “We got to go home and see two people that really are a big part of what we’re doing. Knowing they’re both doing great, it was huge for the team.”
Thursday’s meeting was not all about Popovich’s health outlook.
Not with the Spurs in the throes of a losing skid that hit four in a row heading into Memphis. Not after they blew double-digit leads to lose consecutive games against the lowly New Orleans Pelicans earlier in the week.
“He had some spirited words about how we’ve been playing,” veteran forward Harrison Barnes said.
Were any of those words of the four-letter variety?
“They were sprinkled in,” Barnes said with a grin. “That’s how you know he’s doing well.”
The message was transparent. Though out of sight, Popovich is still watching.
And the players remain accountable to their boss.
Johnson said Popovich spent part of the meeting discussing specific situations in recent games the Spurs could have handled better.
“It’s like, shoot, he really is watching the games,” Johnson said. “He’s still there. He’s going to get on our ass and tell us what we’re doing wrong.”
This is how much the Spurs have missed their head coach. They are even wistful for the days of being cursed out by him.
“We wouldn’t want it any other way,” Johnson said. “That was a plus to know, damn, he’s still watching the games, still critiquing, still got that coaching mindset.”
If or when Popovich will be able to do his coaching from courtside instead of from in front the television remains an open question.
Largely, that will be decided by Popovich, his medical team and the Spurs organization.
For now, players can only focus on finishing out the season as best they can under Mitch Johnson, while they await the return of the silence only Popovich himself can generate.
“It’s been tough, for him and for us,” Keldon Johnson said. “He knows that we have his back, and he’s just got to keep fighting, keep confident every day and keep going every day kicking ass. He’s going to do that. We know that 100%.”
By Jeff McDonald, Staff writer, via San Antonio Express-News