By Tom Orsborn, Staff Writer | San Antonio Express-News (SAEN), 2026-07-22 11:59:05
2025年10月30日星期四，在对阵迈阿密热火队的比赛前，圣安东尼奥马刺队助理教练科利斯·威廉姆森 (Corliss Williamson) 在圣安东尼奥霜银中心与杰里米·索汉 (Jeremy Sochan) 一起训练时传球。威廉姆森曾执教马刺队的夏季联赛阵容，帮助球队在加州经典赛和拉斯维加斯夏季联赛遭遇0胜4负的开局后实现了惊人的大逆转。
科利斯·威廉姆森已经看够了。
马刺队委派这位52岁的助理教练在旧金山和拉斯维加斯执教的夏季联赛阵容，在加州经典赛上一胜难求。更糟糕的是，球队在防守端并没有付出最大的努力。
威廉姆森的一番严厉训话改变了这一切。
“在旧金山，我们的开局并不顺利，”前锋埃马努埃尔·米勒 (Emanuel Miller) 说道，“但他把大家召集在一起，告诉我们防守有多么重要。”
在加州遭遇0胜3负并在拉斯维加斯输掉首场比赛后，马刺队接连拿下四场胜利，最终以4胜4负的战绩收官。这次令人瞩目的逆转提醒着人们，在球员时代被称为“大老粗”（Big Nasty）、身高6英尺7英寸、体重245磅的前锋威廉姆森，向来是玩真的。
“我最看重的一点，也是我最不能容忍的事情之一，就是球员打球不努力。因为作为一名球员，我必须拼尽全力才能取得成功，才能对比赛产生影响，”威廉姆森说道，“所以，如果上场后表现得懒散或有类似的行为，我是零容忍的。”
在拉斯维加斯，他的球员们接受了这种强硬、不屈不挠的方式。
“我爱他，”米勒在连胜期间的一场比赛中说道，那场比赛马刺以90-80击败密尔沃基，他贡献了13分和6个篮板。
“他让每个人都承担起责任，并且知道如何激发我们最好的一面。他是最棒的，”这位26岁、有着两年资历的球员补充道。
2026年6月10日星期三，在纽约麦迪逊广场花园进行的总决赛第四场对阵纽约尼克斯队的赛前训练中，圣安东尼奥马刺队前锋大卫·琼斯·加西亚 (David Jones Garcia)（左）与助理教练科利斯·威廉姆森交流。
威廉姆森将功劳归于球员们，称赞他们能够静下心来，并将他的指导牢记于心。
“从第一天到现在，他们一直在坚持我们在圣安东尼奥常说的那句话：敲击巨石（Pound the Rock），”威廉姆森说道，“我们从中看到了他们辛勤付出的成果。在防守端，我们成为了一支更好的球队；在进攻端，我们找到了分享球的方法，并最终取得了成功。”
威廉姆森用通俗易懂的语言给出了明确的指导，他希望看到球员们通过“从好到极佳”（good-to-great）的传导球来完成聪明的投篮，并在防守端全力以赴，这起到了很大的作用。
“你就是直截了当地告诉他们。这一直是我的方法。‘那一球投出去，你就要被按在板凳上了，’”威廉姆森说道，“如果你想为我们打球，我们就必须防守、展现身体对抗、在转换中推速度。如果你想获得（在马刺队）上场的机会，你就必须能够站出来做好这些事情。”
威廉姆森称他的首次夏季联赛执教经历是一次有趣的体验。
“我想自2013年离开中阿肯色大学以来，我就没有再担任过主教练了，”他指的是自己在2010年至2013年期间担任该校熊队（Bears）主教练的三个赛季，期间他带领球队取得了26胜62负的战绩。
“能够有这个机会（在夏季联赛）执掌教鞭，承担起确保大家团结一致、协调各项事务并与其他教练合作的责任，这对我来说非常有趣，也是我作为一名教练不断提升的一种方式。我很享受这次经历，”威廉姆森在拉斯维加斯表示。
下个月，威廉姆森将迎来加盟马刺队一周年纪念。在2023年至2025年期间在明尼苏达森林狼队担任了两个赛季的助理教练后，他加入了主教练米奇·约翰逊 (Mitch Johnson) 的教练组。他的NBA执教履历还包括在萨克拉门托国王队（2013-16年）、奥兰多魔术队（2016-18年）和菲尼克斯太阳队（2018-19年）担任助理教练。
“这太棒了，”威廉姆森在谈到他在马刺队的一年时说道，“你在外界听过很多关于马刺队这个组织的事情，但真正身处其中并去体验它，那是独一无二的。
“我去过一些不错的地方，待过一些优秀的组织，也和一些出色的教练合作过，但马刺队做事的方式非常正确，我已经很久没有见过像这样运作的球队了。”
除了作为NBA助理教练的13个赛季外，威廉姆森还作为球员为约翰逊的教练组带来了丰富的经验。
这位出生于阿肯色州罗素维尔的球员之所以得到“大老粗”（Big Nasty）的绰号，是因为他的AAU教练（碰巧也是他的表哥）曾对他说：“你在球场上必须变得高大且凶悍。”在阿肯色大学效力的三个赛季中，他不仅做到了这一点，甚至更胜一筹，帮助率领野猪队（Razorbacks）在1994年和1995年连续两年杀入全国总决赛，并夺得了1994年的NCAA冠军。
1994年12月21日星期三，在阿肯色州费耶特维尔进行的上半场比赛中，阿肯色大学的科利斯·威廉姆森 (34号) 在佛罗里达农工大学的伊斯雷尔·史密斯 (Isreal Smith) (50号) 面前抢下前场篮板，阿肯色大学的科里·贝克 (Corey Beck) (14号) 在一旁注视。(美联社照片/汤姆·埃瓦特)
他辉煌的大学生涯为他赢得了诸多荣誉，包括1994年最终四强最杰出球员（MOP）、1994年SEC年度最佳男运动员，以及1994年和1995年的SEC年度最佳球员。
在阿肯色大学的91场比赛中交出场均19.0分、7.1个篮板和2.1次助攻的数据后，威廉姆森在1995年NBA选秀中被国王队以首轮第13顺位选中。在他效力于萨克拉门托、底特律、费城和多伦多的12年职业生涯中，他共出战了822场常规赛，场均贡献11.1分和3.9个篮板，并于2002年在活塞队荣膺NBA年度最佳第六人，那个赛季他在78场比赛中场均得到13.6分、4.1个篮板和1.2次助攻。
威廉姆森在底特律度过的四个赛季中，还包括活塞队在2004年夺得NBA总冠军的辉煌时刻，当时他在79场比赛中场均贡献9.5分和3.2个篮板。
“作为一名球员，科利斯基本上经历过这个联盟的每一个阶层，”约翰逊上赛季说道，“在防守战术配合、我们想如何做事的想法方面，他是教练组中声音最大的人之一。但同时，他也可以站在球员的角度，谈论赢得NBA总决赛、赢得年度最佳第六人、作为大学里最优秀的球员之一，或者（经历）被交易、成为一名老将、被调整为更多扮演角色球员或替补角色的感受。这有多么宝贵？”
约翰逊表示，威廉姆森“坚强、坚毅、始终如一的个性”增加了他在替补席上的价值。
“他工作时雷厉风行，但同时也是一个非常风趣幽默、不会把自己看得太重的人，”约翰逊说道，“能有这样一位高水平的教练和人选成为你球队项目的一部分，是极好的。”
马刺队中锋卢克·科内特 (Luke Kornet) 表示，在上赛季球队一路爆冷杀入NBA总决赛（最终以1-4不敌纽约）并崛起为防守强队的过程中，威廉姆森发挥了重要作用。
首席助理教练兼防守大师肖恩·斯威尼 (Sean Sweeney)（现任奥兰多魔术队主教练）因马刺队的进步而赢得了诸多赞誉，但约翰逊和球员们也将功劳归于威廉姆森，感谢他帮助球队在2024-25赛季防守效率仅排在联盟第25位之后，在上赛季跃升至联盟第三。
“我们对于如何执行防守有着很高的标准，教练组在每天督促我们达到这一标准方面做得很好，确保我们不会漏掉任何细节，”科内特上赛季说道，“科利斯在其中起到了很大的作用。”
威廉姆森还帮助马刺队变得……怎么说呢，更加“强悍”了。
“对我来说，（强悍）就意味着努力打球，在场上倾尽所有，做出牺牲，无论是倒地争抢地板球，还是用身体对抗去卡位挡人，”威廉姆森说道。
至于夏季联赛的球员们，他们带着能与威廉姆森共度如此多时光的兴奋之情离开了拉斯维加斯。
“马刺队在引进最优秀人才方面做得非常出色，而科利斯绝对是其中翘楚，”米勒说道。
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。
查看原文：Corliss Williamson brings 'Big Nasty' approach to Spurs coaching staff
Corliss Williamson brings ‘Big Nasty’ approach to Spurs coaching staff
San Antonio Spurs assistant coach Corliss Williamson passes the ball to Jeremy Sochan as they work out together at Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Thursday, Oct. 30, 2025, before a game against the Miami Heat. Williamson coached the Spurs’ Summer League squad, helping them to a drastic turnaround after an 0-4 start between the California Classic and Las Vegas Summer League.
Corliss Williamson had seen enough.
The Summer League squad the Spurs charged the 52-year-old assistant with coaching in San Francisco and Las Vegas was winless at the California Classic. Even worse, it wasn’t giving maximum effort on the defensive end.
A good talking to by Williamson changed all that.
“In San Francisco, we didn’t have the best start,” forward Emanuel Miller said. “But he got everyone together and told us about the importance of defense.”
After going 0-3 in California and losing their opener in Vegas, the Spurs ripped off four wins in a row to finish 4-4 overall. The impressive turnaround served as a reminder that Williamson, known as “Big Nasty” during his playing plays as a 6-foot-7, 245-pound forward, always means business.
“My biggest thing, one of my pet peeves, is guys that don’t play hard, because for me as a player I had to play hard to be successful, to have an effect on the game,” Williamson said. “So to come out and be lazy or anything like that, I have zero tolerance for that.”
In Vegas, his players embraced the hard-nosed, unyielding approach.
“I love him,” Miller said after finishing with 13 points and six rebounds in a 90-80 victory over Milwaukee in the midst of the winning streak.
“He holds everyone accountable and he knows how to bring the best out of us. He’s the best," the 26-year-old, two-year veteran added.
San Antonio Spurs forward David Jones Garcia, left, talks with assistant coach Corliss Williamson during practice at Madison Square Garden in New York, Wednesday, June 10, 2026, ahead of Game 4 of the NBA Finals against the New York Knicks.
Williamson credited the players for buckling down and taking his instructions to heart.
“From day one to now, they continued to do what we talk about in San Antonio: pound the rock,” Williamson said. “We saw the fruits of their labor from that. Defensively, we became a better team. Offensively, we found ways to share the basketball, and we were able to be successful.”
It helped that Williamson offered clear-cut guidance delivered through uncomplicated language about his desire to see them take smart shots set up by good-to-great passing and go all-out defensively.
“You just flat-out tell them. That’s always been my approach. ‘That shot is going to get you put on the bench,’” Williamson said. “If you’re going to play for us, we defend, we’re physical, we push the ball in transition. You have to be able to step in and do those things if you want the opportunity to play (with the Spurs).”
Williamson called his first stint as a Summer League coach a fun experience.
“I haven’t been a head coach since 2013, I think, when I left Central Arkansas,” he said, referring to his three-season stint as head coach of the Bears, who he led to a 26-62 record from 2010-2013.
“To have that opportunity to be able to run the show (at Summer League), to have that responsibility to make sure we’re all together and coordinating things and working with other coaches, it’s been fun for me, and it’s a way for me to get better as a coach. I’m enjoying this experience,” Williamson said in Las Vegas.
Williamson will celebrate his one-year anniversary with the Spurs next month. He joined coach Mitch Johnson’s staff after spending two seasons as an assistant with Minnesota from 2023-25. His NBA coaching resume also includes stints as an assistant with Sacramento (2013–16), Orlando (2016–18) and Phoenix (2018–19).
“This has been great,” Williamson said of his year with the Spurs. "You hear a lot about the Spurs organization from the outside, but to actually be within it and to experience it, it’s one of a kind.
“I’ve been in some good places, some good organizations, worked with some good coaches, but the Spurs do it the right way, and I haven’t seen it done like this in a while.”
In addition to his 13 seasons as an NBA assistant, Williamson brought a wealth of experience to Johnson’s staff as a player.
The Russellville, Ark., native picked up his “Big Nasty” nickname when his AAU coach, who also happened to be his cousin, told him,“You got to be big and nasty on the court.” He was that and then some during his three seasons at Arkansas, helping lead the Razorbacks to consecutive national championship appearances in 1994 and 1995 and winning the 1994 NCAA title.
Arkansas’ Corliss Williamson (34) grabs an offensive rebound in front of Florida A&M’s Isreal Smith (50) as Arknasas’ Corey Beck (14) looks during first half on Wednesday, Dec. 21, 1994 in Fayetteville, Ark.(AP Photo/Tom Ewart)
His illustrious college career brought several accolades, including the 1994 Final Four Most Outstanding Player, 1994 SEC Male Athlete of the Year and the SEC Player of the Year in 1994 and 1995.
After recording career averages of 19.0 points, 7.1 rebounds and 2.1 assists across 91 games at Arkansas, Williamson was selected 13th overall by the Kings in the 1995 NBA Draft. Appearing in 822 career regular season games during his 12-year career with Sacramento, Detroit, Philadelphia and Toronto, he averaged 11.1 points and 3.9 rebounds and was named NBA Sixth Man of the Year in 2002 with the Pistons, when he averaged 13.6 points, 4.1 rebounds and 1.2 assists in 78 games.
Williamson’s four seasons with Detroit also included the Pistons’ NBA title in 2004, when he averaged 9.5 points and 3.2 rebounds in 79 games.
“Corliss is someone who’s experienced basically every rung of the ladder in this league as a player,” Johnson said last season. “He’s one of the biggest voices on the coaching staff in terms of schematic coverages, ideas of how we want to do things. But then he can also put on his player hat and talk about winning an NBA Finals, winning sixth man of the year, being one of the best players to come out of college, or (what it’s like) to be traded, to be a vet, to be moved to more of a role player, or a bench role. How valuable is that?”
Williamson’s “strong, stoic, consistent personality” added to his value on the bench, Johnson said.
“He means business, but he’s also a very lighthearted man that doesn’t take himself too serious,” Johnson said. “That’s a high-level coach, person to be able to have a part of your program.”
Spurs center Luke Kornet said Williamson played a big role in the team’s rise as a defensive power last season in their surprising run to the NBA Finals, where they lost in five games to New York.
Associate head coach and defensive mastermind Sean Sweeney, now head coach of Orlando, got a lot of credit for the Spurs’ improvement, but Johnson and the players also credited Williamson for helping them finish third in the league in defensive rating after finishing 25th in 2024-25.
“We have high standards of how we want to execute defensively and the coaching staff did a good job of holding us to that every single day, just making sure we’re not letting things slip through the cracks,” Kornet said last season. “Corliss is a big part of that.”
Williamson also helped the Spurs become, well, nastier.
“To me, (being nasty) just means playing hard, giving everything you have while you’re out there on the court, sacrificing, whether it’s diving on the floor for a loose ball or being physical boxing somebody out,” Williamson said.
As for the Summer League players, they left Las Vegas thrilled to have spent so much time with Williamson.
“The Spurs organization does a great job of bringing in the best of the best, and Corliss is right up there,” Miller said.
By Tom Orsborn, Staff Writer, via San Antonio Express-News