By Jeff McDonald, Staff Writer | San Antonio Express-News (SAEN), 2025-04-15 13:53:46
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 (Stephon Castle)，5号球员在聆听克里斯·保罗(3)的教诲。2025年4月1日，奥兰多魔术队对阵圣安东尼奥马刺队的比赛在霜冻银行中心举行。
在过去的六个月里，斯蒂芬·卡斯尔(Stephon Castle)一直在听取教诲并学习。
他学习了如何成为一名职业篮球运动员的艺术。他学会了如何正确地观看比赛录像，并针对其他球队的调整做出相应的调整。
他学习了不仅要准时，还要提早的重要性，学习了良好睡眠的恢复能力，以及如何保持身体的活力以应对82场比赛的赛季的严酷考验。
马刺队这位冉冉升起的新星，大部分都从他最年长的队友那里学到，主要是因为克里斯·保罗(Chris Paul)从未停止过教导。
“他看透了比赛的每一个环节，”卡斯尔如此评价这位有着20年经验的老将。“所以能够和他并肩作战，绝对帮助了我很多。”
在本周马刺队赛季的最后一天，情况依然如此。保罗教授给他的得意门生布置了一项漫长的暑假作业。
“我告诉他去现场看一场季后赛，”保罗说。
如果卡斯尔听取了他的建议，保罗保证这位20岁的新晋NBA球员会学到更多的东西。
“这和在电视上看比赛是不一样的，”保罗说。“你可以直接感受到那种强度。”
如果马刺队能够在六年无缘季后赛后，终于在明年重返季后赛，那么卡斯尔肯定会成为一个重要的原因。
作为去年6月选秀大会的第四顺位新秀，卡斯尔在他的第一个NBA赛季中表现出色，成为了继维克托·文班亚马(Victor Wembanyama)在上赛季获得年度最佳新秀后，马刺队连续第二年获得该奖项的最大热门。
“我觉得整个赛季都是一个进步的趋势，通过不断的尝试和犯错，并与世界上最好的球员对抗，”卡斯尔说。“自然而然地，你会变得更好。”
2025年4月13日，周日，圣安东尼奥霜冻银行中心，圣安东尼奥马刺队后卫斯蒂芬·卡斯尔(5)在下半场对阵多伦多猛龙队前锋贾米森·巴特尔(77)时上篮。马刺队在球迷感谢之夜以125-118击败了猛龙队。
卡斯尔在他的第一个NBA赛季中，场均得到14.7分、4.1次助攻和3.7个篮板，同时在每个晚上都防守着斯蒂芬·库里、卢卡·东契奇、安东尼·爱德华兹，以及几乎所有其他值得一提的全明星得分手。
在全明星赛后，当维克托·文班亚马和达龙·福克斯进入伤病名单后，卡斯尔的表现突飞猛进。
在他最后的30场比赛中，卡斯尔每36分钟可以得到22.3分、6.4个篮板和5.3次助攻。在21岁之前，只有三名球员在一个完整的赛季中达到过这样的每分钟平均数据：东契奇、勒布朗·詹姆斯和拉梅洛·鲍尔。
让马刺队代理教练米奇·约翰逊(Mitch Johnson)对卡斯尔的新秀赛季印象深刻的是，他以一种处变不惊的态度面对各种角色——首发47场比赛，替补出场34场，既打持球，又打无球。
“这对一个新秀来说是很大的挑战，”约翰逊说。“他对我们今年向他提出的所有要求都持开放和拥抱的态度。”
问卡斯尔希望在自己的第一个完整的NBA休赛期里做些什么，有一个词比其他任何词都更常出现：效率。
缺乏效率是这位前康涅狄格大学明星球员，在一个出色的新秀赛季中唯一的瑕疵。
卡斯尔的投篮命中率为43.9%，三分球命中率为27.9%，罚球命中率为71.3%。他本赛季还出现了177次失误，是全队最多的。
“我觉得我们已经看到了我能把球带到禁区的能力，”卡斯尔说。“所以现在只是要能够有效地为自己和我的队友创造投篮机会。”
在自己的第一个赛季中，卡斯尔向马刺队的管理层证明了一些他们希望从选秀他的那一刻就看到的东西——但在他展示给他们之前，他们无法确定。
与文班亚马和现在的福克斯一起，卡斯尔注定会成为球队未来不可或缺的一部分。
“我们一直在谈论我们的未来，而且从来没有一次谈话把我排除在外，”卡斯尔说。“这给任何球员都带来了很大的信心。”
卡斯尔的队友和教练们对这位冉冉升起的新星接下来的发展充满信心。
“我相信他会赢得年度最佳新秀，而且我相信他应该得到这个奖项，”米奇·约翰逊说。
在卡斯尔接过每个人都认为他会获得的威尔特·张伯伦奖杯之后呢？
如果卡斯尔听取了他的导师的建议，你可以在休斯顿、洛杉矶、纽约或其他地方的季后赛前排找到他。
“我当然想去看一场季后赛，”卡斯尔说。“我们的教练总是强调，联盟中最好的球队都是在细节上做得最好的球队，所以我觉得季后赛可能是展示这一点的最佳场所。”
保罗可以预测在卡斯尔亲身体验NBA季后赛后会发生什么。
如果保罗自己的经历可以作为参考，卡斯尔很快就会决定他宁愿不再当观众了。
“我记得我进入联盟的第二年，在看了(季后赛)之后，我就想，‘哦，是的，我不想再看这个了，’”保罗说。“我想打球。”
San Antonio Spurs guard Chris Paul (3) talks with his teammates guard Stephon Castle (5) and forward Sandro Mamukelashvili (54) during a timeout against the Charlotte Hornets at Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, on Friday, March 14, 2025. The Spurs fell to the Hornets 145-134.
San Antonio Spurs guard Chris Paul (3) talks with guard Stephon Castle (5) as they walk off the court for a timeout during the first half at Frost Bank Center on Wednesday, Nov. 13, 2024, in San Antonio, Texas.
San Antonio Spurs guard Stephon Castle (5) throws out t-shirts to fans following the Spurs’ last game of the season at Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Sunday, April 13, 2025. The Spurs defeated the Raptors 125-118 on Fan Appreciation Night.
点击查看原文：Chris Paul leaves Spurs rookie Stephon Castle with summer homework
Chris Paul leaves Spurs rookie Stephon Castle with summer homework
San Antonio Spurs Stephon Castle #5 of the San Antonio Spurs listens to Chris Paul (3).Orlando Magic v San Antonio Spurs on Tuesday, April 1,2025 at the Frost Bank Center.
For the past six months, Stephon Castle listened and he learned.
He learned about the art of being a professional basketball player. He learned how to properly watch film and make adjustments to other teams’ adjustments.
He learned the importance of being not just on time but early, about the rejuvenating power of a good night’s sleep and how to keep the human body fresh for the rigors of an 82-game season.
The Spurs’ rookie sensation learned most of this from his oldest teammate, mostly because Chris Paul never stopped teaching.
“He’s seen every part of the game,” Castle said of the 20-year veteran. “So being able to play alongside him, that definitely helped a lot.”
That remained true on the final day of the Spurs’ season this week, when Professor Paul sent his prized pupil into the long summer with a homework assignment.
“I told him to go see a playoff game,” Paul said.
If Castle follows his advice, Paul promises the 20-year-old NBA neophyte will learn something more.
“It’s not the same as watching it on TV,” Paul said. “You can just see the intensity.”
If the Spurs are able to at last return to the playoffs next year after six seasons of watching from the sidelines, Castle is certain to be a significant reason why.
The No. 4 overall pick from last June’s draft was a revelation in his first NBA campaign, emerging as the odds-on favorite to give the Spurs a second consecutive Rookie of the Year winner after Victor Wembanyama claimed it last season.
“I feel like all season has been a trend in progression, just with trial and error and playing against the best competition in the world,” Castle said. “It’s only natural you’re going to get better.”
San Antonio Spurs guard Stephon Castle (5) goes up for a shot around Toronto Raptors forward Jamison Battle (77) during the second half at Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Sunday, April 13, 2025. The Spurs defeated the Raptors 125-118 on Fan Appreciation Night.
Castle finished his inaugural NBA go-round averaging 14.7 points, 4.1 assists and 3.7 rebounds, all while guarding the likes of Stephen Curry, Luka Doncic, Anthony Edwards and nearly any other All-Star scorer worth mentioning on a nightly basis.
It was after the All-Star break, when Wembanyama and De’Aaron Fox hit the injured list permanently, that Castle’s production took off.
Per 36-minutes in his final 30 games, Castle averaged 22.3 points, 6.4 rebounds and 5.3 assists. Only three players have hit those per-minute averages over a full season before the age of 21: Doncic, LeBron James and LaMelo Ball.
What impressed Spurs acting coach Mitch Johnson about Castle’s rookie season was the unflappability with which he faced a variety of roles – starting 47 games, coming off the bench for 34, playing both on the ball and playing off it.
“It’s a lot for a rookie,” Johnson said. “He was open and embracing of all the things we’ve thrown at him this year.”
Ask Castle what he hopes to work on with his first full NBA offseason ahead, and one word comes up more often than any other: Efficiency.
A lack of it was the one quibble in an otherwise standout rookie season from the former UConn star.
Castle shot 43.9% from the field, made 27.9% from the 3-point arc and 71.3% from the foul line. He also committed 177 turnovers this season, most on the team.
“I feel like we’ve kind of seen my ability to get two feet in the paint whenever they put the ball in my hands,” Castle said. “So now just being able to efficiently create shots for myself and shots for my teammates too.”
Throughout his first season, Castle proved something to Spurs’ brass the team hoped to see from the moment they drafted him – but could not be sure of until he showed them.
Along with Wembanyama and now Fox, Castle stands to be an undisputed part of the franchise’s foundation going forward.
“We talk about our future all the time, and there’s never been one conversation that they’ve left me out of,” Castle said. “That just brings a lot of confidence to anybody as a player.”
Castle’s teammates and coaches are certain in what comes immediately next for the up-and-coming star.
“I believe he’ll win Rookie of the Year and I believe he deserves it,” Mitch Johnson said.
And after Castle accepts the Wilt Chamberlain Trophy everyone seems to expect him to earn?
If Castle listens to his mentor, you can find him on the front row at a playoff game in Houston or Los Angeles or New York or elsewhere.
“I definitely do want to see a playoff game,” Castle said. “Our coaches always preach how the best teams in the league are the best at the little things, so I feel like the playoffs is probably the best place to display that.”
Paul can predict what will happen after Castle gets a first-person taste of the NBA playoffs.
If Paul’s own experience is any indication, Castle will quickly decide he’d rather not be a spectator to them again.
“I remember my second year in the league after watching (the playoffs) I was like, ‘Oh yeah, I don’t want to watch this no more,’” Paul said. “I want to play.”
By Jeff McDonald, Staff Writer, via San Antonio Express-News
