By Tom Orsborn, Staff Writer | San Antonio Express-News (SAEN), 2025-10-17 19:41:14
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。
旧金山，加利福尼亚州 - 2025年7月6日：在2025年NBA选秀中以第二顺位和第十四顺位被选中的圣安东尼奥马刺队球员，迪伦·哈珀 #2 (左) 与卡特·布莱恩特 #11 (右)，在蔡斯中心举行的加州经典夏季联赛下半场对阵金州勇士队的比赛暂停期间相互交谈。
迪伦·哈珀 (Dylan Harper) 在东海岸度过了他的全部人生，因此对贝果三明治情有独钟。
“我肯定会点一份加了薯饼的大号鸡蛋芝士贝果，”这位新泽西本地人被问及他常点的餐品时说。
包括他的一位队友在内的许多NBA专家都认为，哈珀本赛季对马刺的影响力，最终可能会像那份高热量订单一样“分量十足”。
“我对他的比赛超级有信心，”斯蒂芬·卡斯尔 (Stephon Castle) 说道。“而且我知道他对自己也超级有信心。”
马刺队球员已连续两个赛季荣膺年度最佳新秀，继维克托·文班亚马 (Victor Wembanyama) 在其历史性的2023-24赛季后捧起该奖项，斯蒂芬·卡斯尔又在2024-25赛季将威尔特·张伯伦奖杯收入囊中。
卡斯尔相信，在六月以榜眼身份被马刺选中的哈珀，将在2025-26赛季与达拉斯独行侠的状元秀库珀·弗拉格 (Cooper Flagg) 争夺这一荣誉。
“他需要在赛季中自己去摸索，但他绝对有很大机会做到这一点，”卡斯尔说。
在季前赛中看过哈珀的实战表现后，文班亚马表示他的期望值更高了。
这位法国球星说：“他是一个从第一天起就能产生影响力的球员，能让你如此笃定地给出这种评价的球员并不多。他非常沉着冷静，而且他控制比赛的能力令人印象深刻。”
哈珀并非本赛季唯一有望为马刺带来提升的新秀。他们同样对第14顺位新秀卡特·布莱恩特 (Carter Bryant) 寄予厚望。这位19岁的加州小伙在季前赛中已经展现了他备受赞誉的防守技巧，而哈珀则在因休赛期手部手术缺席了前两场季前赛后，在有限的出场时间里展示了他的进攻才华。
“他们对新事物的领悟非常快，”卡斯尔说。“我觉得他们很快就适应了比赛的节奏。他们俩的身体对抗都非常强悍，在这方面毫不逊色。他们今年就能帮到我们。”
哈珀身高6英尺5英寸，体重220磅，是一位体格强壮的控球后卫，上赛季在罗格斯大学表现出色。他将自己描述为一名胜利者，一个能在多个方面影响比赛的球员。
“这是我引以为豪的一点，”他说。“我就是努力打出能赢球的表现，无论是得分、防守还是策应，只要能帮助球队赢球，我什么都愿意做。”
哈珀的加入，让马刺拥有了三位强大的持球攻击手：这位备受瞩目的新秀、卡斯尔，以及前全明星球员德阿隆·福克斯 (De’Aaron Fox)。福克斯因腿筋受伤缺席了季前赛，并且很可能将无缘10月22日客场对阵达拉斯的常规赛揭幕战。
尽管有人质疑在阵容中拥有如此多能够攻击篮筐的主要持球手是否明智，但哈珀淡化了关于后场人员拥挤以及这可能如何影响球队有效拉开空间的的的担忧。
“机遇远大于挑战，”他说。“我们三个人都非常擅长冲击篮筐，在联盟里都是顶尖水平。我们之间的相互配合将是关键。当你在场上，对手需要防守三个能冲击篮筐的人，外加一个射手，再加上维克（Vic），这将是极难阻挡和击败的。所以我感觉这对我们来说不会是什么真正的挑战。”
除了能轻松攻击篮筐外，哈珀为队友创造机会的能力也给教练组留下了深刻印象。
“他展现出了做出明智决策的诀窍，”马刺队主教练米奇·约翰逊 (Mitch Johnson) 说。
而在布莱恩特身上，马刺则得到了一位身高6英尺6英寸、体重220磅、运动能力出色的前锋。他具备成为一名顶级防守者所需的技巧，并且拥有实现这一目标的职业精神。
“在洛杉矶长大，我非常崇拜科比·布莱恩特 (Kobe Bryant) 以及他那种不懈奋斗的心态，”布莱恩特说。“这对我产生了一些潜移默化的影响。”
哈珀对布莱恩特的“曼巴精神”有着第一手的了解。
“我就是喜欢他竞争的方式，”哈珀在谈到于AAU比赛中对阵布莱恩特时说。“他从不放弃，无论我们是领先10分还是20分，或者比分胶着。他从不放弃。他不会在任何事情面前退缩。”
布莱恩特在季前赛中完成了一些展现其弹跳能力的篮下防守。不过，在进入约翰逊的轮换阵容之前，他可能会先在奥斯汀的马刺G联盟球队度过一段时间。但马刺的伤病情况可能会让他提前在主队获得一些上场时间。
“我们需要篮下的身体对抗，而卡特有潜力做到这一点，同时他还具备一定的时机把握和预判能力，可以完成一些追身封盖或协防盖帽，这些都是很难教的，”约翰逊说。“这是一种天赋。”
除了身体天赋，这两位新秀还拥有很高的篮球智商。
“在期望方面，他们正通过避免重复犯错来提高自己的标准，”约翰逊说。“当一个问题被纠正后，他们能很好地接受、理解并消化教练的指导，这是我们乐于见到的。”
有了哈珀和布莱恩特，马刺就拥有了一届“分量十足”的新秀，就像新泽西那些令人满足的贝果三明治一样。
San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama, left, speaks with teammate Dylan Harper, right, during the first half of a preseason NBA basketball game against the Utah Jazz, Friday, Oct. 10, 2025, in San Antonio. (AP Photo/Darren Abate)
San Antonio Spurs Carter Bryant (1) battles Guangzhou Loong-Lions George King (94) in a Spurs preseason opener vs. Guangzhou Loong-Lions on Monday, Oct. 6, 2025 at Frost Bank Center.
San Antonio Spurs’ first round draft picks Carter Bryant, left, and Dylan Harper onstage during an outdoor fan introduction of the San Antonio Spurs’ 2025 Draft picks at Victory Capital Performance Center in San Antonio, Saturday, June 28, 2025.
San Antonio Spurs Carter Bryant (1) drives for two against of the Guangzhou Loong-Lions in a Spurs preseason opener vs. Guangzhou Loong-Lions on Monday, Oct. 6, 2025 at Frost Bank Center.
San Antonio Spurs Carter Bryant (1) gets a hug from San Antonio Spurs Bismack Biyombo (18) in a Spurs preseason opener vs. Guangzhou Loong-Lions on Monday, Oct. 6, 2025 at Frost Bank Center.
点击查看原文：Spurs sport a powerful rookie tandem in Dylan Harper, Carter Bryant
Spurs sport a powerful rookie tandem in Dylan Harper, Carter Bryant
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - JULY 06: The number two and number fourteenth pick in the 2025 NBA draft,Dylan Harper #2 (L) and Carter Bryant #11 (R) of the San Antonio Spurs chat with each other while there’s a time out against the Golden State Warriors during the second half of the California Classic summer league game at Chase Center on July 06, 2025 in San Francisco, California.
Dylan Harper has a fondness for bagel sandwiches after spending all of his life on the East Coast.
“I’m definitely going with a big egg and cheese with a hash brown on it,” the New Jersey native said when asked for his go-to order.
Many NBA experts, including one of his teammates, believe Harper’s impact on the Spurs this season could eventually be just as substantial as that calorie-rich order.
“I’m super confident in his game,” Stephon Castle said. “I know he’s super confident in his game.”
Spurs players have been named rookie of the year in consecutive seasons, with Castle claiming the Wilt Chamberlain Trophy for 2024-25 after Victor Wembanyama collected it following his historic 2023-24 season.
Castle believes Harper, drafted second overall by the Spurs in June, will compete with the Dallas Mavericks’ Cooper Flagg, the No. 1 overall pick, for the honor in 2025-26.
“He’s going to have to figure it out during the season, but he’ll definitely have a great chance of doing it,” Castle said.
After seeing Harper in action in the preseason, Wembanyama said his expectations have grown.
“He is a player that can have an impact on day one, and there’s not a lot of guys you can say that with this much certainty about,” the French star said. “But he’s poised and his ability to control the game has been remarkable.”
Harper isn’t the only rookie expected to boost the Spurs this season. They also have high hopes for Carter Bryant, the 14th overall pick, after the 19-year-old Californian flashed his vaunted defensive skills in the preseason to go along with the offensive prowess Harper displayed in a limited showing after missing the first two exhibition games due to offseason hand surgery.
“They’re picking up on things very quick,” Castle said. “I feel like they got adjusted to the speed of the game very quick. They’re both super physical. They’re not lacking on that end. They’re going to be able to help us this year.”
Harper, a sturdy 6-foot-5, 220-pound point guard who starred at Rutgers last season, describes himself as a winner, a player who can impact a game in a number of areas.
“That’s something I pride myself on,” he said. “I just try to make winning plays, whether that’s having to score the ball, play defense, facilitate, just doing anything to help the team to win.”
The addition of Harper gives the Spurs three potent downhill creators in the highly touted rookie, Castle and former All-Star De’Aaron Fox, who missed the preseason with a hamstring injury and likely will be sidelined for the regular season opener at Dallas on Oct. 22.
While some question the wisdom of having so many primary ball handlers on the roster who can attack the basket, Harper downplayed concerns about the backcourt logjam and how it might hamper efforts to space the floor effectively.
“There’s a lot more opportunities than challenges,” he said. “All three of us can get downhill pretty well, best in the league. Playing off each other is going to be a big thing. When you are on the court and you have got to guard three people that can get downhill, plus a shooter, plus Vic, that’s going to be very hard to stop and beat, so I feel like it won’t really be a challenge for us.”
In addition to being able to get to the rim with ease, Harper has impressed the coaching staff with his ability to set up teammates.
“He’s shown a knack for sound decision-making,” Spurs coach Mitch Johnson said.
In Bryant, the Spurs have an athletic 6-foot-6, 220-pound forward with the skills needed to become a lock-down defender and the work ethic to make it happen.
“Being in L.A., I just loved Kobe Bryant and him having the mentality of a relentless worker,” Bryant said. “It kind of rubbed off on me a little bit.”
Harper has first-hand knowledge of Bryant’s “Mamba Mentality.”
“I just loved the way he competed,” Harper said of facing Bryant in AAU play. “He never gave up no matter how much we were up, whether it was 10 or 20, or a close game. He never gave up. He’s not backing down from nothing.”
Bryant, has made some stops at the rim in preseason play that showed off his leaping ability. He could spend time in Austin with the Spurs’ G League team, though, before finding a spot in Johnson’s rotation. But the Spurs injury situation could lead to some early playing time with the big club.
“We want the physicality at the rim, and Carter has the potential to do that, as well as having some of the timing and anticipation to get some chase-down plays or weak-side blocks, which are really hard to teach,” Johnson said. “It’s a talent.”
In addition to their physical skills, the rookies also possess high basketball IQs.
“In terms of expectations, they’re raising their standard by not making repeatable mistakes,” Johnson said. “They’ve done a really good job of when something’s been corrected of taking that and comprehending and digesting that coaching, which is good to see.”
With Harper and Bryant, the Spurs have a rookie class of substance, just like those fattening bagel sandwiches back in Jersey.
By Tom Orsborn, Staff Writer, via San Antonio Express-News