By Son Q. Trinh | Pounding The Rock (PtR), 2025-06-28 09:22:57
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。
2是最小的偶素数，也是唯一的偶素数。
如果你不是第一，你就是第二——但千万别小看“老二”们。每当有勒布朗·詹姆斯 (LeBron James)、米克·贾格尔 (Mick Jagger)、詹姆斯·T·柯克 (James T. Kirk)、汉·索罗 (Han Solo)、让-卢克·皮卡德 (Jean-Luc Picard)、塞尔玛 (Thelma)、伯特 (Bert)、加尔文 (Calvin)、丹尼·奥申 (Danny Ocean) 和莉洛 (Lilo) 这样的人物，也总有基思·理查兹 (Keith Richards)、斯波克 (Spock)、楚巴卡 (Chewbacca)、威廉·莱克 (William Riker)、路易斯 (Louise)、厄尼 (Ernie)、拉蒂·莱恩 (Rusty Ryan) 和史迪奇 (Stitch) 相伴。没有珍娜·马罗妮 (Jenna Maroney)，丽兹·莱蒙 (Liz Lemon) 又将如何？如果加尔文只是霍布斯 (Hobbe) 的想象呢？别忘了，皮卡德舰长称莱克指挥官为“一号”，而不是“我那位留着胡子、风流倜傥的副手”。
这个思想实验并非旨在将“第一”与“第二”对立起来。如果圣安东尼奥马刺队能够选中库珀·弗拉格 (Cooper Flagg)——本届选秀的头号热门新秀，他们当然会这样做。但据各方消息，他们对迪伦·哈珀 (Dylan Harper) 志在必得。没有任何关于他们向下交易选秀权或认真考虑其他球员的重磅消息传出。对马刺来说，选中迪伦·哈珀几乎是板上钉钉的事，就像他们当初选中维克托·文班亚马 (Victor Wembanyama)、蒂姆·邓肯 (Tim Duncan) 和大卫·罗宾逊 (David Robinson) 一样确凿无疑。
Filipino roots. Global game
迪伦·哈珀成为NBA历史上少数拥有菲律宾血统的球员之一！ pic.twitter.com/kHcmCPy1vj
— ESPN (@ espn) June 26, 2025
尽管马刺队拥有引以为傲的历史和辉煌的成功记录，但他们从未拥有过任何选秀的榜眼签。在此背景下，马刺队（众所周知）曾拥有三个状元签，而像丹佛掘金、印第安纳步行者、孟菲斯灰熊、迈阿密热火、俄克拉荷马城雷霆、菲尼克斯太阳和犹他爵士等NBA球队却从未获得过状元签。
当然，重要的是如何运用这个选秀权，而马刺队在状元签的使用上无疑做得非常出色。通过在周三晚上用榜眼签选中迪伦·哈珀，他们现在有机会为自己独特的历史传承增添新篇章。如果你想知道哪些球队拥有最多的状元签，我将免去你谷歌搜索的麻烦，告诉你答案是克利夫兰骑士队和华盛顿奇才队，各有六个。
“I’m feeling EVERYTHING… from crying, to laughing, to being happy”
- 迪伦·哈珀，圣安东尼奥马刺新成员 pic.twitter.com/BBtk9b7EPa
— NBA (@ NBA) June 26, 2025
因此，在哈珀踏上NBA赛场之前，我们所能做的只有猜测和预测他可能拥有怎样的职业生涯。他并不被期望成为球队救世主，这对他本人的成长和心理健康无疑是件好事。更棒的是，他加入了一支以培养年轻人才而闻名的球队，他们能让球员按照自己的节奏发展并取得成功，同时最大限度地发挥他们的能力。
榜眼签的历史硕果累累。在近期记忆中，一些影响力最大的球员包括拉马库斯·阿尔德里奇 (LaMarcus Aldridge) (2006)、凯文·杜兰特 (Kevin Durant) (2007)、贾·莫兰特 (Ja Morant) (2019) 和切特·霍姆格伦 (Chet Holmgren) (2022)。更深入地挖掘NBA历史，你会发现许多名人堂球员和全明星，例如以赛亚·托马斯 (Isiah Thomas) (1981)、加里·佩顿 (Gary Payton) (1990)、阿朗佐·莫宁 (Alonzo Mourning) (1992)、贾森·基德 (Jason Kidd) (1994) 和史蒂夫·弗朗西斯 (Steve Francis) (1999)。
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当然，也有不少榜眼秀未能达到预期。达科·米利西奇 (Darko Milicic) (2003) 不幸与勒布朗·詹姆斯 (LeBron James) (状元)、卡梅隆·安东尼 (Carmelo Anthony) (探花)、克里斯·波什 (Chris Bosh) (4号秀)、德维恩·韦德 (Dwyane Wade) (5号秀) 和鲍里斯·迪奥 (Boris Diaw) (21号秀) 同届——迪奥是仅次于文班亚马和托尼·帕克 (Tony Parker) 的马刺队史最伟大法国球员，绝无对伊恩·马辛米 (Ian Mahinmi)、南多·德科洛 (Nando De Colo) 和乔弗里·洛韦尔涅 (Joffrey Lauvergne) 不敬之意。米利西奇的潜力可能从未真正存在过，或者说他没有机会在合适的环境中发展，考虑到拉里·布朗 (Larry Brown) 执教风格倾向于不给新秀和年轻球员太多上场时间，尤其是在21世纪初，那支老将云集的底特律活塞队是总冠军的常年争夺者。
杰伊·威廉姆斯 (Jay Williams) (2002) 的职业生涯是一个“如果当初……”的遗憾案例，一场悲剧性的摩托车事故，夺走了他成为迈克尔·乔丹 (Michael Jordan) 之后芝加哥公牛队下一位明星球员的潜力。同样是公牛队，泰森·钱德勒 (Tyson Chandler) (2002) 也曾是榜眼秀，作为乔丹时代之后公牛队彻底重建的一部分，与埃迪·库里 (Eddy Curry) (2002) 一同被选中，后者在同届选秀中位列第4顺位。钱德勒没有成为球队救世主或超级巨星，但他作为防守核心和空接搭档，在2011年那支推翻迈阿密热火、令人难忘的达拉斯独行侠总冠军球队中，拥有漫长而成功的职业生涯。
最受审视的榜眼秀是萨姆·鲍伊 (Sam Bowie) (1984)，只因为历史最佳篮球运动员（尽管这位球员最近曾对自己的历史地位与勒布朗·詹姆斯 (LeBron James) 相比发表过评论）是在第3顺位被选中，并随后拍出了史上最棒的佳得乐和麦当劳广告。不幸的是，鲍伊是“选择当时最好的球员”而非“按需选人”的典型案例。波特兰开拓者队当时已经有一位出色的后卫克莱德·德雷克斯勒 (Clyde Drexler)，但他们因为中锋位置有需求而放弃了迈克尔·杰弗里·乔丹 (Michael Jeffrey Jordan)。剩下的，正如你所知，都已是历史。如果开拓者队当初选择了乔丹，一场连锁反应将波及整个多重宇宙，我们所处的这个地球版本将大相径庭：将不会有芝加哥公牛王朝，不会有罗恩·哈珀 (Ron Harper)（迪伦·哈珀的父亲！）在*《最后一舞》中客串，也不会有普林斯 (Prince) 的震撼配乐直击我们怀旧的心弦。在这个时间线里，也不会有肖恩·布拉德利 (Shawn Bradley)（1993年的榜眼秀），他曾在《空中大灌篮》*中扮演关键角色（作者注：我有一件肖恩·布拉德利 (Shawn Bradley) 的球衣，所以只要提到“咆哮摩门”这个名字，我就必须提及他）。
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马刺队选择当时最好的球员而非根据阵容需求来选人，这对他们来说是个好兆头。所有这些都表明，这并不意味着迪伦·哈珀就是下一个加里·佩顿或贾森·基德，也不意味着他的职业生涯轨迹会像维克托·奥拉迪波 (Victor Oladipo) 或埃文·特纳 (Evan Turner) 那样。但如果他能成为一个更高、臂展更长的史蒂夫·弗朗西斯 (Steve Francis) 版本，那么他将前途无量。你无需在网上搜索太久，就会看到一些球员模板指向德隆·威廉姆斯 (Deron Williams) 和凯德·坎宁安 (Cade Cunningham)，后者的名字被各大体育网站反复提及，足以让普通球迷热血沸腾，对他的潜力充满遐想。现实地看，哈珀不会像坎宁安那样承担进攻端或球队核心级别的责任，但那天花板般的潜力依然诱人。
马刺队在乐透签选人上的成功记录表明他们会找到办法的，即使批评者认为队里有太多不擅长投篮的后卫。如果迪伦·哈珀发展成功，那么他可能会是肖恩·埃利奥特 (Sean Elliott)（1989年探花秀）之后最好的球员，而连续第三年获得最佳新秀奖也并非不可能。
当然，这过于乐观（甚至有些盲目乐观），但就像皮卡德舰长所说，“就这样办吧。”——而不是“嗯……我们还是先别抱太大希望，谨慎乐观吧。”
点击查看原文：Dylan Harper and the Legacy of the Number Two Overall Pick
Dylan Harper and the Legacy of the Number Two Overall Pick
Two is the smallest and only even prime number.
If you’re not first, you’re second—but don’t sleep on the number twos. For every LeBron James, Mick Jagger, James T. Kirk, Han Solo, Jean-Luc Picard, Thelma, Bert, Calvin, Danny Ocean, and Lilo; there’s a Keith Richards, a Spock, a Chewbacca, a William Riker, a Louise, an Ernie, a Rusty Ryan, and a Stitch. Who’s Liz Lemon without Jenna Maroney? What if Calvin is a figment of Hobbe’s imagination? And keep in mind that Captain Picard refers to Commander Riker as “Number One” not “My bearded, promiscuous second-in-command.”
This thought exercise is not meant to pit ones against twos. If the San Antonio Spurs could have drafted Cooper Flagg, the number one consensus prospect in this year’s draft, they certainly would have. But by all accounts, they were all in on Dylan Harper. No headlining story of them trading down or seriously considering another player ever took traction. It was as close to a sure thing for the Spurs as taking Victor Wembanyama, Tim Duncan, and David Robinson.
Filipino roots. Global game
Dylan Harper joins some of a few players with Filipino heritage in NBA history! pic.twitter.com/kHcmCPy1vj
— ESPN (@ espn) June 26, 2025
For all of the Spurs’ vaunted history and track record of success, they have never had the number two overall pick in any draft. Take that into context, the Spurs (famously) have had three number one overall draft picks, while NBA teams like the Denver Nuggets, Indiana Pacers, Memphis Grizzlies, Miami Heat, Oklahoma City Thunder, Phoenix Suns, and the Utah Jazz have never had the first overall pick.
Of course, it’s what you do with that pick that matters, and the Spurs in-arguably have done well with the number one overall. By drafting Dylan Harper on Wednesday night with the number two overall pick, they now have the chance to add to their unique legacy. If you’re wondering which teams have had the most number one overall picks, I’ll save you a Google search and tell you it’s the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Washington Wizards with six apiece.
“I’m feeling EVERYTHING… from crying, to laughing, to being happy”
- Dylan Harper, newest San Antonio Spur pic.twitter.com/BBtk9b7EPa
— NBA (@ NBA) June 26, 2025
So before Harper even sets foot on an NBA court, all we can do is speculate and project what kind of career he might have. He’s not expected to be a franchise savior, which is certainly a good thing for his development and mental health. It also helps tremendously that he goes to a team known for fostering young talent and setting them up to succeed at the player’s pace while also maximizing their abilities.
The history of the number two overall pick is robust. In recent-ish memory, some of the most impactful players were LaMarcus Aldridge (2006), Kevin Durant (2007), Ja Morant (2019), and Chet Holmgren (2022). Dig deeper into NBA past and you’ll find hall-of-famers and all-stars like Isiah Thomas (1981), Gary Payton (1990), Alonzo Mourning (1992), Jason Kidd (1994), and Steve Francis (1999).
Plenty of number two picks fell short of expectations. Darko Milicic (2003) had the misfortune of sharing a draft class with LeBron James (1), Carmelo Anthony (3), Chris Bosh (4), Dwyane Wade (5), and Boris Diaw (21)—the greatest French Spur ever behind Wembanyama and Tony Parker, with no disrespect to Ian Mahinmi, Nando De Colo, and Joffrey Lauvergne. Milicic’s potential was either never there or had the chance to develop in the right environment given Larry Brown’s penchant for not giving significant minutes to rookies and young players, especially when the veteran-laden Detroit Pistons of the early 2000s were perennial title contenders.
Jay Williams’s (2002) career is a case study of what could have been after his tragic motorcycle accident that robbed him of potentially being the next Chicago Bull star after Michael Jordan. Staying with the Bulls, Tyson Chandler (2002) was the number two overall pick as part of a complete overhaul of the post-Jordan Bulls along with Eddy Curry (2002), who also went number four overall in the same draft class. Chandler would not become a franchise savior or superstar, but he had a long, successful career as a defensive anchor and lob partner for the memorable Dallas Mavericks championship team in 2011 that toppled the Miami Heat.
The most scrutinized number two pick was Sam Bowie (1984), only because the best basketball player in history (notwithstanding said player’s recent comments about his own legacy compared to LeBron James) was drafted number three overall and went on to make the best Gatorade and McDonald’s commercials ever. Bowie, unfortunately, is the prime example of “draft the best player available” rather than “draft for need.” The Portland Trail Blazers had a great guard in Clyde Drexler, but passed on Michael Jeffrey Jordan because they had a need at center. The rest, as you know, is history. And had the Trail Blazers taken Jordan instead, we’d have a butterfly effect rippling through the multiverse where our version of Earth is vastly different: there would be no Chicago Bulls dynasty, no Ron Harper (father of Dylan Harper!) cameos in The Last Dance with the banging soundtrack of Prince injected straight into our nostalgic veins. In this timeline, there would be no Shawn Bradley (also a number two overall pick in 1993), who had a crucial role in Space Jam (author’s note: I own a Shawn Bradley jersey so I am obligated to mention that anytime the Stormin’ Mormon’s name is mentioned).
It bodes well for the Spurs that they drafted the best available player over roster need. All of this is to say that that doesn’t mean Dylan Harper is the next Gary Payton or Jason Kidd, nor does that mean he’s on a career trajectory of Victor Oladipo or Evan Turner. But if he becomes a taller/longer wing-spanned version of Steve Francis, the sky’s the limit. You won’t have to look on the internet very long to see some player comps to Deron Williams and Cade Cunningham, the latter’s name being thrown around enough times from different sports websites to make your average fan ignore the potential group think and salivate at the possibilities. Realistically, Harper will not have the offensive or franchise-level responsibilities that Cunningham has, but that ceiling potential is tantalizing nonetheless.
The Spurs’ track history of hitting on their lottery picks suggests that they will figure it out, even if naysayers say there’s too many guards who can’t shoot on the team. If Dylan Harper pans out, then he could be the best thing since Sean Elliott (drafted third overall in 1989), and a third straight rookie-of-the-year is definitely on the table.
Sure, that’s overly (almost haphazardly) optimistic, but as Captain Picard said, “Make it so.”—not, “Well . . . let’s hold our horses and be cautiously optimistic.”
By Son Q. Trinh, via Pounding The Rock