By Tom Orsborn, Staff Writer | San Antonio Express-News (SAEN), 2025-10-06 13:11:04
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。
2025年5月5日，圣安东尼奥，圣安东尼奥马刺队前任主教练格雷格·波波维奇（右）拥抱球队新任主教练米奇·约翰逊（左）。
周一上午，一个熟悉而备受欢迎的身影出现在了马刺队的投篮训练场上——他就是格雷格·波波维奇 (Gregg Popovich)。
这位传奇前主帅在训练的大部分时间里都在与前锋杰里米·索汉 (Jeremy Sochan) 聊天。
现年76岁的波波维奇因中风错过了赛季除前五场外的所有比赛，并于今年五月正式宣布退休。前助教米奇·约翰逊 (Mitch Johnson) 在此期间曾代理主教练执教了77场比赛，现已正式成为球队的新任主教练。
“他看起来棒极了，”球队目前效力时间最长的七年级前锋凯尔登·约翰逊 (Keldon Johnson) 在谈到波波维奇时说道。波波维奇目前仍继续担任球队的篮球运营总裁。
“在这里看到他总能让我会心一笑。这是我第一个没有波波执教的赛季，真是百感交集。我一直很紧张，不知道未来会怎样，但米奇做得非常出色。他真的在施展自己的拳脚。我相信米奇，每个人都信任他，我对此感到非常兴奋。”
马刺老将的中国情缘
近年来，凯尔登·约翰逊作为中国运动服装品牌乔丹体育的品牌大使，曾多次到访中国，因此，对于能在揭幕战中对阵一支来自中国的球队，他感到十分兴奋。
在谈到最近一次的中国之行时，他说道：“今年夏天是我第四次去中国了。那是我生命中最美好的时光之一。见到所有的球迷，能够去到那里，与世界另一端的人们互动，这不仅对我，对我的家人来说，都大开眼界。能够体验新的美食，看到中国各种不同的文化，这绝对是我人生中的高光时刻之一。我尝试了所有的食物、传统习俗，任何他们希望我们尝试的东西。我努力让自己沉浸在当地文化中，获得最完整的体验。”
周日晚，在雄狮队于胜利资本表演中心完成训练后，马刺首席执行官 R.C.·布福德 (R.C. Buford)、总经理布莱恩·莱特 (Brian Wright) 以及米奇·约翰逊为他们举办了晚宴。
雄狮队的阵容中包括来自圣安东尼奥的乔治·金 (George King)，他是布伦南高中的校友。
队内赛卡拉OK或成球队新传统
凯尔登·约翰逊表示，他非常享受主持周六队内赛后马刺新秀的卡拉OK环节，并且对于这成为一项球队传统，他一点也不会感到惊讶。
在那场吸引了超过一万名观众的免费活动结束后，球队的老将们安排了哈珀 (Harper)、布莱恩特 (Bryant) 以及双向合同球员莱利·米尼克斯 (Riley Minix)、大卫·琼斯·加西亚 (David Jones Garcia) 和哈里森·英格拉姆 (Harrison Ingram) 为球迷们献唱。
“我知道大家已经在讨论明年的新秀们要做些什么了，”凯尔登·约翰逊说。“但现在我们拥有的是一批非常棒的球员。我爱我们的新秀们，伙计。我也爱我们去年的新秀。他们都是非常非常优秀的人。”
点击查看原文：Spurs excited to see Gregg Popovich at shootaround
Spurs excited to see Gregg Popovich at shootaround
Former San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich, right, hugs Mitch Johnson, left, the new head coach of the San Antonio Spurs NBA basketball team, in San Antonio, May 5, 2025.
A familiar and much-welcomed face was present at the Spurs shootaround on Monday morning – Gregg Popovich.
The legendary former coach spent much of the workout chatting with forward Jeremy Sochan.
Popovich, 76, officially retired from coaching in May after a stroke forced him to miss all but the first five games of the season. Former assistant Mitch Johnson is the team’s new head coach after serving as acting coach for the 77 games Popovich.
“He looks amazing,” seventh-year forward Keldon Johnson, the team’s longest-tenured current player, said of Popovich, who continues as the team’s president of basketball operations.
“It always puts a smile on my face seeing him here. This is my first year without Pop, so it has been a whirlwind of emotions. I’ve been really nervous. I didn’t really know what to expect, but Mitch has done an amazing job. He’s really going his thing. I trust Mitch. Everybody trusts Mitch, and I’m excited.”
Spurs veteran familiar with all things China
Given that he’s made several trips to China in recent years as a brand ambassador for the Chinese athletic wear company Qiaodan, Keldon Johnson was excited to be facing a team from that country in the opener.
“It was my fourth time this summer,” he said of his most recent trip to China. “It’s been some of the best times of my life. Seeing all the fans and being able to go over there and interact with a different part of the world really is eye opening for not only me but my family. Being able to experience the new foods and to see all the different cultures there in China has definitely been one of the highlights of my life. I tried all the food, the traditions, anything they wanted us to try. I tried to immerse myself into the culture and get the full experience.”
Spurs chief executive officer R.C. Buford, general manager Brian Wright and Mitch Johnson hosted a dinner on Sunday night for the Lions after they practiced at the Victory Capital Performance Center.
The Lions roster includes San Antonio’s George King, a Brennan alumnus.
Scrimmage karaoke could become new tradition
Keldon Johnson said he had a great time hosting the Spurs’ rookie karaoke act after Saturday’s scrimmage and wouldn’t be surprised to see it become a team tradition.
The team’s veterans enlisted Harper, Bryant and two-way contract players Riley Minix, David Jones Garcia and Harrison Ingram to sing for fans after the free event, which drew a crowd of more than 10,000.
“I know the guys are already talking about what the rookies are going to do next year,” Keldon Johnson said. “But right now we got a great group of guys. I love our rookies, man. I love our rookies from last year. They’re such great, great individuals.”
By Tom Orsborn, Staff Writer, via San Antonio Express-News