By Tom Orsborn, Staff Writer | San Antonio Express-News (SAEN), 2026-05-31 03:08:55
2026年5月30日，星期六，西部决赛抢七大战在俄克拉荷马城佩科姆中心举行。图为圣安东尼奥马刺队30号前锋朱利安·尚帕尼在第三节比赛中完成一次进攻后做出庆祝手势。
俄克拉荷马城——当西部决赛抢七大战终场哨响，朱利安·尚帕尼 (Julian Champagnie) 紧紧抱住皮球时，他的脑海中浮现出了自己那段不可思议的旅程：从2023年情人节被费城无情裁掉，到如今作为马刺队的关键成员挺进NBA总决赛。
“说实话，我当时以为自己的职业生涯彻底结束了，”这位前锋回忆起自己21岁时作为来自圣约翰大学的落选新秀被76人队裁掉时的激动情绪，如是说道。
“一直有人告诉我，想在联盟中立足、留下来并打出名堂，机会的窗口期是非常短暂的。所以，在没有任何预警、没有任何解释的情况下被裁掉，真的很艰难，”他补充道。
两天后，当马刺队签下他时，尚帕尼重新燃起了希望。
“我埋下头对自己说：‘努力去适应。不管他们给你什么角色，都要做好。不管他们需要你做什么，都要全力以赴，在队里找到属于自己的位置，’”尚帕尼说道。
三年多后，这个来自布鲁克林的孩子正昂首迈向NBA总决赛。
在周六晚上的比赛中，尚帕尼三分球10投6中砍下20分，并抢下6个篮板，帮助马刺以111-103击败俄克拉荷马城。在比赛还剩8.4秒时，雷霆队的凯森·华莱士 (Cason Wallace) 三分出手不中，尚帕尼抢下篮板球，并在终场哨响时将球稳稳抱在手中。
接下来，尚帕尼将迎来与家乡球队尼克斯队的巅峰对决，其中将包括至少两场在麦迪逊广场花园进行的比赛。
“我曾无数次路过那里，”谈到麦迪逊广场花园时他说道。“我也曾无数次在那里打球。所以，能够回到那里去争夺总冠军，没有比这更美妙的感觉了。”
朱利安·尚帕尼：“这是我长期以来一直在努力调整的心态，努力保持平稳。在这个过程中我经历过起起伏伏，但我感觉今年我的队友们真的把我凝聚在了一起，他们对我说：‘我们需要你。’永远不要得意忘形，也永远不要垂头丧气。” pic.twitter.com/fPldyaVNDT
— Spurs Nation (@ Spurs_Nation) 2026年5月31日
在此前的六场比赛中，尚帕尼的三分球命中率仅为26.6%（45投12中），但他表示，在抢七大战中，他从未在三分线外犹豫过出手。
在NBA历史上，只有斯蒂芬·库里 (Stephen Curry) 在分区决赛抢七大战中投进过比他更多的三分球。
“我的队友们在帮我调整心态方面做得非常好，确保我既不会得意忘形，也不会垂头丧气，所以说实话，这完全归功于他们，”他说道。“这是我长期以来一直在努力调整的心态，努力保持平稳。在这个过程中我经历过起起伏伏，但我感觉今年我的队友们真的把我凝聚在了一起，他们对我说：‘我们需要你，所以永远不要得意忘形，也永远不要垂头丧气，保持平稳，坚守在中间地带。’
“这绝对有助于保持自信、保持稳定，并且专注于下一个回合、下一个回合、下一个回合。”
马刺队主教练米奇·约翰逊 (Mitch Johnson) 表示，尚帕尼在整个季后赛期间的表现都是“现象级”的。
“他有些比赛虽然投篮不中，但能抢下两位数的篮板，”约翰逊说道。“无论他能不能投进，他在场上的空间属性都能产生极大的防守牵制力。而在我们陷入得分荒的时候，他总能投进关键球。他绝对是一位无名英雄，因为其他一些球员控球时间更长，除了投进三分球之外，他们可能会出现在更多的集锦中。而朱利安一直是我们团队防守和团队篮板中不可或缺的一部分，所有这些都让我们能够打出快速反击，这也是我们进攻端的最佳版本。
“他的表现绝对是现象级的。”
尚帕尼表示，这一切都关乎做好自己的本职工作，“在能够帮上忙的地方融入进去”。
“我爱我的队友，爱教练和教练组，爱管理层的每一个人，”他说道。“这是一个非常棒的地方。说实话，真的没有比这更好的去处了。所以，我要特别感谢圣安东尼奥马刺队，感谢他们给了一个来自布鲁克林的孩子一个机会。”
2026年5月30日，星期六，西部决赛抢七大战在俄克拉荷马城佩科姆中心举行。图为圣安东尼奥马刺队前锋朱利安·尚帕尼在赛前仪式中被介绍入场。
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。
点击查看原文：Champagnie's improbable journey on his mind as Spurs reach Finals
Champagnie’s improbable journey on his mind as Spurs reach Finals
San Antonio Spurs forward Julian Champagnie (30) gestures after a play during the third quarter of Game 7 of the Western Conference Finals at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Saturday, May 30, 2026.
OKLAHOMA CITY — Julian Champagnie’s improbable journey from being unceremoniously cut by Philadelphia on Valentine’s Day 2023 to reaching the NBA Finals as a key member of the Spurs came to mind as he held onto the ball at the end of Game 7 of the Western Conference Finals.
“I thought it was over, I ain’t going to lie to you,” the forward said, recalling how emotional he was when the Sixers let him go as a 21-year-old undrafted rookie out of St. John’s.
“I was always told how small the window is to kind of get your foot in the league and stay here and make a career for yourself. So getting waived with no warning, no explanation or anything, it was tough,” he added.
When the Spurs signed him two days later, Champagnie had new hope.
“I put my head down said, ‘Make it work. Whatever they give you, make it work. Whatever they need you to do, make it work, and just find that spot on the team,’” Champagnie said.
Three-plus years later, the kid from Brooklyn is heading to the NBA Finals.
Champagnie had 20 points on the strength of 6-of-10 from 3-point range and six rebounds to help the Spurs defeat Oklahoma City 111-103 on Saturday night. He wound up with the ball in his hands at the end of the game after rebounding a missed 3-pointer by the Thunder’s Cason Wallace with 8.4 seconds left.
Next up for Champagnie: A showdown with his hometown Knicks that will include at least two games at Madison Square Garden.
“I passed by that so many times,” he said of Madison Square Garden. “I played there so many times. So being able to go back there and compete for a championship, there’s no better feeling.”
Julian Champagnie: "That’s something I’ve been working on for a long time, now, trying to stay even keel. I’ve had my ups and downs with it, but I feel like this year my teammates really did pull me together and tell me, ‘We need you.’ Never get too high, never get too low.” pic.twitter.com/fPldyaVNDT
— Spurs Nation (@ Spurs_Nation) May 31, 2026
Champagnie came into the game shooting just 26.6% (12 of 45) from beyond the arc through the first six games, but he said he never hesitated to let them fly from deep in Game 7.
Stephen Curry is the only player in NBA history with more 3-pointers in a conference finals Game 7.
“My teammates do a really good job of keeping me in check and making sure I don’t get too high and never get too low, so I give all that to them honestly and truly,” he said. "That’s something I’ve been working on for a long time now, trying to stay even keeled. I’ve had my ups and downs with it, but I feel like this year my teammates really did pull me together and tell me, ‘We need you, so never get too high, never get you low, just kind of tread water, stay in the middle.’
“It definitely helps with staying confident, keeping steady and knowing next play, next play, next play.”
Spurs coach Mitch Johnson said Champagnie has been “phenomenal” throughout the playoffs.
“He’s had games where he’s missed shots and he’s had double-digit rebounds,” Johnson said. "His spacing causes gravity, whether he makes shots or not. And at times when we haven’t scored, he’s made huge shots. He’s been an absolute unsung hero because some of those other guys have the basketball in their hands more and they’re probably a part of maybe more highlights other than making threes. And Julian’s been an integral part of our team defense, team rebounding, and all that leads to us playing fast, which is our best version of our offense.
“He’s been absolutely phenomenal.”
Champagnie said it’s all about doing his job and “fitting in where I can.”
“I love my teammates, love the coach, staff, love everybody in the organization,” he said. “It’s a great place to be. There’s no better place that I could be, honestly, truly. So big shout out to the San Antonio Spurs taking an opportunity on a kid from Brooklyn.”
San Antonio Spurs forward Julian Champagnie (30) is introduced before Game 7 of the Western Conference finals at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Saturday, May 30, 2026.
By Tom Orsborn, Staff Writer, via San Antonio Express-News