By Michael C. Wright | ESPN, 2025-06-29 04:36:00
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 — 周六，在酷热难耐的天气里，球迷们聚集在胜利资本训练中心外参加“马刺家庭烧烤活动”时，榜眼秀迪伦·哈珀 (Dylan Harper) 向渴望圣安东尼奥结束六年季后赛荒的忠实拥趸传递了一个信息。
“这一切很快就会改变，”哈珀在他的新闻发布会上说道，“我们会打进季后赛的。我认为对于马刺球迷和所有人来说，我们这支球队非常令人兴奋。有很多值得期待的地方。我们这支队伍的潜力无限。”
哈珀被分配了2号球衣，这件球衣上次在圣安东尼奥是由前马刺总决赛MVP科怀·莱昂纳德 (Kawhi Leonard) 所穿，他还对自己帮助球队创造NBA历史的前景充满信心。圣安东尼奥队选中了过去两届NBA年度最佳新秀得主：维克托·文班亚马 (Victor Wembanyama) 和斯蒂芬·卡斯尔 (Stephon Castle)。
没有任何球队曾连续三次获得该奖项。
“我并不觉得赢得最佳新秀奖有任何压力，但我绝对想把这个传统延续下去，”哈珀说道，“这绝对是我的一个目标。也许我最大的目标就是每天进步一点，日复一日，循序渐进，并尽我所能向每个人学习。”
周五，在哈珀首次在圣安东尼奥训练期间，他注意到了三位拥有深厚NBA知识和冠军血统的人士，这距离马刺队在连续第三次选秀中用前四顺位选中他仅仅两天。
“我正在训练，然后我偶然看到了蒂姆·邓肯 (Tim Duncan)、格雷格·波波维奇 (Gregg Popovich) 和马努·吉诺比利 (Manu Ginobili)，”哈珀说道，“这在其他任何球队是看不到的。小时候，马刺一直是你想为之效力的球队之一。看到他们的王朝，你会想继续为那些冠军旗帜添砖加瓦，想再增添几面。”
同为首轮秀的卡特·布莱恩特 (Carter Bryant)，在第14顺位被选中，他有望提供帮助。布莱恩特是来自亚利桑那州的运动型3D前锋，他与哈珀从高中二年级起就认识了，当时他们在EYBL赛场上多次交手。
布莱恩特的叔叔德森 (D’Cean) 曾在加利福尼亚州里弗赛德的马丁·路德·金高中担任助理教练，执教过莱昂纳德。
“我对这座城市了解不多，但（马刺队）贯穿了我的童年，”布莱恩特说道，“我从小就是科怀的忠实粉丝。我喜欢邓肯。那是我叔叔最喜欢的球员。我从小就喜欢篮球。所以，每个人都知道托尼·帕克 (Tony Parker)、马努、大卫·罗宾逊 (David Robinson) 以及所有那些球员是谁。小时候看到那个王朝，也为我余下的童年指明了方向。后来也有很多伟大的球队。但他们是这一切的开端。对我来说，能被他们选中并能够延续前辈们所创造的遗产，真是太棒了。”
哈珀和布莱恩特将于7月5日在旧金山举行的加州夏季联赛中对阵迈阿密热火队，迎来他们的首秀，哈珀设定的目标是“赢得我们所打的每一场比赛”。尽管哈珀自信满满，但总经理布莱恩·莱特 (Brian Wright) 对这位前罗格斯大学球星的谦逊赞不绝口。
“我认为我的自信心以及所有这些都源于我付出的所有努力，”哈珀说道，“我觉得我是最努力的人之一。我只是知道我付出了多少努力。你仍然必须保持谦逊，因为你得到一切的速度有多快，失去一切的速度就有多快。”
点击查看原文：'Sky's the limit' for new-look Spurs, Dylan Harper says
‘Sky’s the limit’ for new-look Spurs, Dylan Harper says
SAN ANTONIO – As fans gathered outside the Victory Capital Performance Center in the sweltering heat Saturday for the “Spurs Family Cookout,” No. 2 pick Dylan Harper delivered a message for the team’s faithful longing for San Antonio to end its six-year playoff drought.
“That’s going to change really quick,” Harper said at his introductory news conference. “We’re going to make the playoffs. I think for the Spurs fans and everyone else, our group is very exciting. There’s a lot to look forward to. The sky’s the limit for this group we’ve got.”
Assigned jersey No. 2, which was last worn in San Antonio by former Spurs Finals MVP Kawhi Leonard, Harper also expressed confidence in his prospects for helping the franchise achieve NBA history. San Antonio drafted the last two NBA Rookie of the Year winners in Victor Wembanyama and Stephon Castle.
No team ever has produced three consecutive winners of the award.
“I don’t think I feel no pressure [to win ROY], but I definitely want to keep that going,” Harper said. “That’s definitely a goal of mine. Probably my biggest goal is just getting better every day, taking it day by day, step by step, and just learning from everyone I can.”
Harper eyed a trio of sources of vast NBA knowledge dripping in championship pedigree on Friday in the middle of one of his first training sessions in San Antonio, just two days after the Spurs landed him with a top-four pick in their third consecutive draft.
“I’m working out, and I randomly see Tim Duncan, Gregg Popovich and Manu Ginobili,” Harper said. “That’s not something you’ll see in any other organization. Growing up, this is one of the teams you always wanted to play for. Seeing their dynasty, [you] just keep wanting to build on those banners and want to add a few more.”
Fellow first-rounder Carter Bryant, drafted No. 14, is expected to help. An athletic, 3-and-D forward out of Arizona, Bryant has known Harper since their sophomore year in high school, when they faced off on the EYBL circuit.
Bryant’s uncle, D’Cean, coached Leonard when he was an assistant at Martin Luther King High School in Riverside, California.
“I don’t know too much about the city, but [the Spurs] ran my childhood,” Bryant said. “Growing up, I was a big fan of Kawhi. I loved Timmy D. That was my uncle’s favorite player. I just loved basketball growing up. So, everybody knew who Tony Parker, Manu, David Robinson and all those guys were. Growing up and seeing that dynasty kind of set the path for the rest of my childhood. There were a lot of great franchises that came afterwards. But they were kind of the start of it. For me to be in the position to get selected by them and being able to continue the legacy of what those before me brought is beautiful.”
Harper and Bryant will debut at the California Summer League on July 5 in San Francisco against the Miami Heat, and Harper has set a goal “to win every game we play.” Although Harper oozes confidence, general manager Brian Wright has raved about the former Rutgers star’s humility.
“I think my confidence and all that comes from all the work I’ve put in,” Harper said. “I feel like I’m one of the hardest working people out [there]. I just know how much work I put in. You’ve still got to be humble because just [as] quick as you get everything, everything can go away.”
By Michael C. Wright | ESPN, via ESPN