By Marilyn Dubinski | Pounding The Rock (PtR), 2025-10-23 02:46:03
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。
圣安东尼奥马刺队在季前赛中取得了全胜战绩，这在队史上仅是第三次——前两次分别是 1977-78 赛季，当时乔治·格文 (George Gervin) 在 MVP 票选中名列第二，并荣膺得分王；以及 1998-99 赛季：蒂姆·邓肯 (Tim Duncan) 的新秀赛季，球队取得了 NBA 创纪录的 36 场胜场提升。如今，马刺队看起来已准备好在本赛季再次实现飞跃。原因显而易见：维克托·文班亚马 (Victor Wembanyama) 保持健康，并展现出成为联盟前五球员的潜力；他们还拥有第二位潜在的全明星球员德阿隆·福克斯 (De’Aaron Fox)（一旦伤愈复出）；斯蒂芬·卡斯尔 (Stephon Castle) 也准备在二年级迎来爆发；而马刺队在休赛期补强的阵容深度，似乎确保了即使在首发休息或遭遇伤病时，球队依然能保持强势。
然而，在马刺队的崛起过程中，有一个因素被忽视了，那就是队内效力时间最长的两名球员：凯尔登·约翰逊 (Keldon Johnson) 和德文·瓦塞尔 (Devin Vassell)。这两名球员常常被低估，甚至被诟病，认为他们只是在马刺摆烂赛季刷数据拿到大合同，并常常被仅仅视为球队最好的两个“交易筹码”（即最“有交易价值”的球员）。但对于球队能有今天，他们理应获得更多的赞誉。这不仅仅是因为他们在场上的表现——不可否认，文班才是球队赢球增多的最主要原因——更是因为他们不仅帮助“马刺之道”得以延续，还助其渡过难关，从而能够被传承到一个新的时代。
对于不熟悉的球迷来说，“马刺之道”形成于格雷格·波波维奇 (Gregg Popovich) 和“三巨头”时期的冠军鼎盛时代。其核心定义始终是：无论在场上还是场下都秉持无私精神，并营造出包容所有人的环境。这种文化在所有体育联盟中都鲜有其他球队能够长期维持，因为在困难时期和阵容不断更迭的情况下，这些价值观很难坚守。但在圣安东尼奥，在球队历史上最具挑战性的时期，约翰逊和瓦塞尔帮助这种文化得以延续。
2019 年，当约翰逊在第 29 顺位被选中时，最初他并未引起太多关注。这个选秀权来自猛龙队，是那笔将冠军核心成员科怀·伦纳德 (Kawhi Leonard) 和丹尼·格林 (Danny Green) 送到多伦多，换回德玛尔·德罗赞 (DeMar DeRozan) 和雅各布·珀尔特尔 (Jacob Poeltl) 的交易的一部分。约翰逊甚至不是马刺队那年夏天顺位最高的球员——那个头衔属于史上著名的水货新秀卢卡·沙马尼奇 (Luka Samanic)（第 19 顺位）。他的新秀赛季大部分时间都在奥斯汀度过，直到在新冠疫情期间的“气泡”园区里才横空出世。作为 22 年来首支无缘季后赛的马刺队中的一员，这并未损害他在球迷心中的地位，但也让球队自蒂姆·邓肯以来首次获得了乐透签，并最终在 2020 年以第 11 顺位选中了瓦塞尔。
这两名球员在 2021 年和 2022 年的两次附加赛之旅中都成为了可靠的贡献者，但最终球队还是迎来了推倒重建的时刻。这意味着两位球员得分最高的赛季都出现在摆烂赛季（约翰逊是 2022-23 赛季，瓦塞尔是 2023-24 赛季）。这可能给他们带来了不切实际的期望，同时也让他们被贴上了“无法带来胜利”的球员标签——尽管这很大程度上是他们无法控制的客观环境所致。因此，两位球员都经历了无数的交易流言和对其新秀合同续约的审视（尤其是瓦塞尔，他还断断续续地与伤病作斗争，尽管劳资协议（CBA）中工资帽的持续飞涨已经让他的合同与当今球员的价值相比显得合理了许多）。
尽管如此，那些能够透过数据和胜负记录看本质的人，应该能理解他们对于马刺这支球队过去和现在所具有的真正价值。他们是两种截然不同的性格，但都是领袖。约翰逊是更衣室领袖：他声音洪亮、充满活力、风趣幽默且善于鼓舞人心。瓦塞尔则更为安静和内敛，但他以身作则，脸上总是挂着微笑。
尽管都曾一度担任过进攻端的核心，但他们都无私地接受了各自的角色。约翰逊欣然接受了第六人的角色，尽管他职业生涯中大多数时间都是首发。可以说，如果上赛季马刺队战绩更好一些，他本可以进入年度最佳第六人的讨论范围，因为他是联盟替补席上的第三号得分手。本赛季，他应该会是该奖项的一位黑马候选人。瓦塞尔也接受了一个相对次要的角色，并在季前赛中表明，他已经准备好并愿意成为一名第二得分点。
他们接纳并欢迎所有新来的成员，无论对方是潜在的明星还是仅仅是训练营受邀球员。他们不会嫉妒任何可能挤占他们上场时间的球员，而是给予他们同等的尊重。最后，两人（尤其是约翰逊）都扮演了类似帕蒂·米尔斯 (Patty Mills) 那样的角色，成为球队最热情的“气氛组组长”，无论是在场上还是在替补席上，每当队友打出精彩表现时，他们都会不停地欢呼、跳跃和拥抱。
“马刺之道”的意义从来都远不止赢球；它关乎成为一个家庭，荣辱与共，风雨同舟。马刺队内效力时间最长的这两位球员或许不是队史最出色或战绩最好的，但他们是一支正迅速迈入新时代的球队的领袖。即使波波维奇不再执教，最初传承“马刺之道”的元老们也早已离去，但这种精神依然延续着。这在很大程度上要归功于这两位被低估但充满魅力的马刺球员。他们的名字是凯尔登·约翰逊和德文·瓦塞尔，我们都应该永远感激他们，因为他们将火炬从一代人手中传递给了下一代。
点击查看原文：How Keldon Johnson and Devin Vassell have helped ‘The Spurs Way’ endure
How Keldon Johnson and Devin Vassell have helped ‘The Spurs Way’ endure
After going undefeated in the preseason for the just the third time in team history — the other two were 1977-78, when George Gervin finished 2nd in MVP voting and first in scoring, and 1997-98: Tim Duncan’s rookie year when they made an NBA-record 36-win improvement — the San Antonio Spurs look primed to make another leap this season. The reasons why are obvious: Victor Wembaynama is healthy and looking like a potential top 5 player in the league, they have a second potential All-Star in De’Aaron Fox (once healthy), Stephon Castle looks primed for a sophomore year jump, and the depth the Spurs have added this offseason looks like it will keep things rolling even when the starters rest or injuries occur.
However, one factor being overlooked in the Spurs’ rise is their two longest tenured players: Keldon Johnson and Devin Vassell. Both are often undervalued or even scrutinized as players who made their money as the Spurs’ leading scorers during tanking seasons and are often merely seen as their two best “bargaining chips” (a.k.a. most “tradable” players), but they should be getting more credit for where the team is today. And no, not just because of their play on the court — it would be impossible to deny that Wemby is the main reason for more wins — but rather how they have helped not just keep The Spurs Way alive, but also helped it survive so it could be ushered into a new era.
For anyone who is unfamiliar, The Spurs’ Way came to be during their championship heyday under Gregg Popovich and the Big Three. It has always been defined by unselfishness on and off the court combined with an accepting environment for all. It’s a culture few other franchises in all of sports have been able to maintain because those values can be difficult to keep during trying times and constant roster turnover, but Johnson and Vassell have helped keep it going in San Antonio throughout the most challenging stretch in franchise history.
Johnson was initially a bit of an afterthought when he has drafted at 29th overall in 2019, a pick that came from the Raptors as part of the trade that sent championship staples Kawhi Leonard and Danny Green to Toronto in return for DeMar DeRozan and Jacob Poeltl. Johnson wasn’t even their highest drafted player that summer — that would be all-time bust Luka Samanic at 19th — and spent most of his rookie season in Austin before bursting onto the scene in the COVID Bubble. Being a small part of the first Spurs team to miss the playoffs in 22 years didn’t hurt his stock with fans, but it did lead to their first ever lottery pick since Tim Duncan, which ended up being Vassell at 11th overall in 2020.
Both players would go on to be solid contributors in a couple of play-in appearances in 2021 and 2o22, but ultimately it would become time to tear things down and rebuild, which meant both players’ top scoring seasons would come in tanking seasons (2022-23 for Johnson, 2023-24 for Vassell). That may have added unrealistic expectations while also stereotyping them into not being “winning” players despite circumstances mostly out of their control, and as a result, both players have endured countless trade rumors and scrutiny for the rookie contract extensions (especially Vassell, who has also struggled with injuries off and on, although continuous skyrocketing of the CBA has already made his deal look much more in line with what he’s worth relative to current players today).
Still, those who can see past just the numbers and their win/loss record should understand how valuable they truly have been and continue to be for the Spurs organization. They’re two completely opposite personalities, but both are leaders. Johnson is the locker room leader: loud and energetic, funny and encouraging. Vassell is much more quiet and understated but leads by example and always with a smile.
Both have also been unselfish in their roles despite having experienced being the main focal point on offense at one point or another. Johnson has embraced the role of sixth man despite starting more often than not in his career, and it’s arguable he would have gotten consideration for Sixth Man on the Year last season if the Spurs had a better record, as we was the league’s third leading scorer off the bench. He should be a dark horse candidate for the award this season. Vassell has also embraced a lesser role and showed in the preseason that he is ready and willing to be a secondary scorer.
They have been accepting and welcoming of all new comers, be they a potential star or just training camp invitees. They don’t begrudge anyone who may be coming for their minutes, but rather treat them with has much respect as anyone else. Finally, both (and especially Johnson) have taken on a Patty Mills-type role as two of the teams’ biggest cheerleaders, constantly cheering, jumping and hugging teammates after big plays, whether they’re on the bench or in the game.
The Spurs Way has always been about much more than just winning; it’s about being a family and sticking together through thick and thin. The Spurs’ two longest-tenured players may not be their best or winningest ever, but they’re the leaders of team quickly being ushered into a new era. Even with Pop no longer on the sidelines and the original carriers of The Way long gone, it continues to live on, and that’s in no small part thanks to two underappreciated but charismatic Spurs. Their names are Keldon Johnson and Devin Vassell, and we should all be eternally grateful to them for carrying the torch from one generation to the next.
By Marilyn Dubinski, via Pounding The Rock