By Tom Orsborn, Staff Writer | San Antonio Express-News (SAEN), 2026-02-14 12:20:52
2025年4月4日，周五，在圣安东尼奥举行的NBA常规赛马刺对阵克利夫兰骑士的上半场，圣安东尼奥马刺代理主教练米奇·约翰逊（右）与马刺前锋凯尔登·约翰逊交流。
加利福尼亚州英格尔伍德报道——马刺教练米奇·约翰逊 (Mitch Johnson) 在客场之旅时喜欢去散步，包括在落选上赛季巴黎赛期间漫步街头。
“我喜欢巴黎，那是一座非常适合步行的城市，散步是我非常享受的事情，”他说道。
在离家较近的地方，就在对阵洛杉矶湖人比赛的前一天，约翰逊还享受了与助理教练马特·尼尔森 (Matt Nielsen) 从圣莫尼卡球队酒店徒步前往著名的威尼斯海滩木板道的旅程。
但当提到这位39岁的教练时，马刺球员们想到的不是“步行”，而是“奔跑”。
“我们愿意为他赴汤蹈火，就像他愿意为我们冲破障碍一样，”前锋朱利安·尚帕尼 (Julian Champagnie) 说道。
周日，约翰逊将带领“条纹队”参加由三支球队组成的“美国队对阵世界队”全明星循环赛。他能获得这一席位，得益于他与球员之间建立的良好关系。这也是马刺队在本赛季强势开局的关键因素。在进入全明星周末前，马刺取得了38胜16负的战绩，位居西部第二，仅次于俄克拉荷马城，有望终结球队连续六年的季后赛荒。
约翰逊将获得全明星执教机会归功于球员，这进一步彰显了他们之间的深厚情谊。（全明星主帅席位通常授予截至2月1日各联盟战绩第一球队的主帅，但俄克拉荷马城的马克·戴格诺特 (Mark Daigneault) 由于去年已经执教过，今年不具备资格。）
“这项成就属于整个团队，”约翰逊说道。自格雷格·波波维奇 (Gregg Popovich) 去年5月退休后，这是约翰逊执教马刺的第一个完整赛季。“正是因为我们全队的表现，我和我的教练组才能来到全明星赛。这百分之百是团队共同努力的结果。”
将聚光灯从自己身上转移到球员身上，是约翰逊的典型作风，最了解他的球员如是说。
“为了更衣室里的每一个人，他愿意做任何事，”马刺前锋凯尔登·约翰逊 (Keldon Johnson) 说道。“为了米奇，我们也愿意做任何事。因为这就是我们之间的关系，这种关系从第一天起就建立了。”
米奇与凯尔登的“第一天”要追溯到2019年夏天，当时马刺在首轮第29顺位选中了这位肯塔基大学的学生。大约在同一时间，在奥斯汀马刺队担任了三年助教的米奇被提拔为圣安东尼奥马刺队的助理教练。
他当时的首要任务之一就是：指导这位19岁、技术尚待磨练但精力充沛的首轮秀。
“我刚进联盟时，是米奇带我做‘维生素’（基础训练），带我看录像，”凯尔登说道。“我觉得他是那种始终对我保持诚实的人，从不粉饰太平。我做错时他会直言不讳，我做对时他也会给予称赞。这种关系建立了信任，让你知道有人真心希望你变得更好，知道那个人不会让你走捷径，并渴望你获得成功。”
“我觉得这种信任是他赢来的，而不是平白得到的。他赢得了这份信任，因此他能够执教我们、督促我们，并得到积极的反馈。”
在波波维奇于2024年11月中风后，约翰逊被任命为代理主教练，这种紧密的联系对他提供了巨大的帮助。
“自从我来到这里，我对他（凯尔登）的执教可能比对其他任何球员都更严厉，但他全盘接受，从未有过消极情绪，”米奇说道。“这真的帮到了我。对于凯尔登这样的球员来说，能够接受这种严厉，让你能够自由地去执教，因为我们所做的一切都是为了帮助他们或推动他们变得更好。”
球员们最喜欢这位年轻教练的一点是，他很有主见。从一开始，他就明确表示自己不会试图成为“小波波维奇”。
“这就是米奇的特别之处，”凯尔登说道。“他有自己的执教风格，有自己的人格魅力。他按自己的方式做事，而且非常奏效。他执教很严厉，这也在意料之中。我们有想要维持的标准，而他确保我们日复一日地达到那个标准。”
马刺前锋德文·瓦塞尔 (Devin Vassell) 表达了赞同。
“他会用一定的标准要求你，用同样的标准要求每一个人，我们很喜欢这一点，”瓦塞尔说道。
约翰逊不仅与老将们建立了深厚的联系，也赢得了年轻核心的尊重。
“他告诉我们的事情总是非常切中要害，”22岁的全明星中锋维克托·文班亚马 (Victor Wembanyama) 说道。“作为教练，你在暂停时只有两三分钟，所以必须直奔主题。他在这方面非常高效，从不废话。这是他从第一天起就拥有的优秀品质，这赢得了人们的尊重。”
21岁的后卫斯蒂芬·卡斯尔 (Stephon Castle) 喜欢约翰逊将球员放在“正确的位置以取得成功”。
“他最看重的是防守，”斯蒂芬·卡斯尔说道。“但在进攻端，他给了我们很多自由去发挥和创造。他把我们放在合适的位置上，给了我们很大的信心去自由竞争。”
19岁的新秀后卫迪兰·哈珀 (Dylan Harper) 表示，他很喜欢为这位“非常有亲和力”的前斯坦福大学控卫效力。
“他绝对了解球员的感受，非常清楚什么时候该做什么，什么时候不该做，”迪兰·哈珀说道。“你的教练曾是一名控球后卫，他非常理解比赛，也能明白你的想法。”
综上所述，马刺拥有一位他们希望长期留任的年轻教练。
“这对米奇来说仅仅是个开始，”凯尔登说道。“他潜力无限。你们会看到他到底有多特别。”
由生成式 AI 翻译，译文内容可能不准确或不完整，以原文为准。
点击查看原文：Why the Spurs would 'run through walls' for Mitch Johnson
Why the Spurs would ‘run through walls’ for Mitch Johnson
San Antonio Spurs acting head coach Mitch Johnson, right, speaks with Spurs forward Keldon Johnson during the first half of their NBA basketball game against the Cleveland Cavaliers, Friday, April 4, 2025, in San Antonio.
INGLEWOOD, Calif. — Spurs coach Mitch Johnson enjoys going for walks when he’s on the road, including pounding the pavement during last season’s trip to Paris.
“I loved that it’s a great walking city, something I really enjoy,” he said.
Closer to home, Johnson enjoyed a hike in the fall with assistant coach Matt Nielsen from the team hotel in Santa Monica to the famed Venice Beach Boardwalk the day before a game against the Los Angeles Lakers.
But when it comes to their 39-year-old coach, the Spurs players think of running, not walking.
“We’d run through walls for him the same way he’d run through walls for us,” forward Julian Champagnie said.
When Johnson coaches the Stripes squad at the three-team “U.S. versus the World” All-Star round-robin tournament Sunday, he’ll do so with a reputation for having good relationships with this players. It’s a factor in the Spurs’ strong start, which has them poised to end the franchise’s six-year playoff drought after heading into the break 38-16 and seeded No. 2 in the West behind Oklahoma City.
That Johnson gave the players credit for his All-Star gig underscores the bond between them. (All-Star coaching berths usually go to the skipper of the top-seeded team in each conference as of Feb. 1, but Oklahoma City’s Mark Daigneault was ineligible this year because he coached in last season’s game.)
“The accomplishment is a team thing," said Johnson, who is in his first full season guiding the Spurs after Gregg Popovich retired from coaching last May. “Our team performance is why myself and our staff are going to be here for the All-Star game. That is 100 percent a team-centric outcome.”
Shifting the spotlight away from himself onto his players is typical of Johnson, the player who knows him best said.
“There’s nothing he wouldn’t do for each and every person in that locker room," Spurs forward Keldon Johnson said. "And there’s nothing we wouldn’t do for Mitch. Because that’s the kind of relationship we have. We’ve had that relationship from day one.”
“Day one” for Mitch Johnson and Keldon Johnson dates back to summer 2019 after the Spurs drafted the Kentucky alumnus 29th overall. Around that same time, the Spurs promoted Mitch Johnson to assistant coach after he spent three seasons as an assistant with the Austin Spurs.
Among his first tasks: Mentoring the Spurs’ 19-year-old raw, high-energy first-round pick.
“When I came in, Mitch did my ‘vitamins.’ He did my film," Keldon Johnson said. "I feel like he’s been one of those guys who always kept it honest with me, and not sugarcoat it. Tell me when I’m wrong, but also give me the praise when I’m right. That builds trust to know someone wants what’s best for you, to know that person is not going to let you cut corners and wants you to be successful.
"I feel like he’s earned that trust. It was never given. He’s earned that trust to be able to coach us and get on us and get the right response.”
Their close relationship helped their coach after he was named acting head coach in November 2024 following Popovich’s stroke.
“I’ve probably coached him harder than any other player in this program since I’ve been here, and he does nothing but take it and is never negative about it,” Mitch Johnson said. “And that really helps me. For a player like Keldon, to be able to receive it, that allows you to coach freely because that’s all we’re trying to do is help them or push them to be better.”
One of the things the players like most about their young coach is he is his own man. From the start, he made it clear he wasn’t going to try to be Gregg Popovich Jr.
“That’s what makes Mitch special,” Keldon Johnson said. "He’s his own coach, his own person. He does it his way. And his way has been working. He coaches us tough, and that’s as expected. We have a standard we want to uphold, and he makes sure we uphold that standard day in and day out.”
Spurs forward Devin Vassell agreed.
'He holds you to a certain standard, holds everybody to a certain standard, so we love that," Vassell said.
But it’s not just the veterans Mitch has bonded with.
“He’s always been really on point with what he tells us," All-Star center Victor Wembanyama, 22, said. “As a coach, you’ve only got two or three minutes in a timeout, so you have to go straight to the point. He’s been really efficient in that way. He doesn’t talk for nothing. That’s a great quality he’s had from almost day one. That forces respect.”
Guard Stephon Castle, 21, likes how Johnson puts the players “in the right spots to succeed.”
“His main thing is defense,” Castle said. “But offensively he gives us a lot of freedom to go out there and play and make plays. He puts us in good spots to give us a lot of confidence to just go out there and play free.”
Rookie guard Dylan Harper, 19, said he likes playing for the “very personable” former Stanford point guard.
“He definitely knows how the players are feeling and has a good understanding for when to do things, when not to do things,” Harper said. “Having your coach be a former point guard, he kind of understands the game and kind of sees where you’re coming from.”
Add it all up, and the Spurs have a young coach they hope to have around for a long time.
“This is just the beginning for Mitch,” Keldon Johnson said. "He has unlimited potential. You guys will see how special he really is.”
By Tom Orsborn, Staff Writer, via San Antonio Express-News