翻譯/泊 桑
The Kentucky Wildcats return just six players from last year's team, lost the nation's fifth-leading scorer to the NBA and will start next season with a new head coach. Most teams in a similar situation would be talking about slow progress during the summer. The Wildcats are talking about a national championship. Such is the impact of John Calipari.
上個賽季的陣容里只有6名老隊員選擇留校,肯塔基失去了去年全美大學(xué)排名第五的得分手——已經(jīng)加盟NBA雄鹿隊的喬迪·米克斯,并且任命了一位新主帥。大部分像肯塔基這樣“百廢待興”的球隊,都會在這個夏天選擇“循循漸進(jìn)”的傳統(tǒng)建隊原則。但肯塔基野貓隊卻心存大志,劍指全美冠軍,而這就是約翰·科里帕里的影響力所在。
"We believe that we can have a Final Four team," said junior forward Patrick Patterson, the team's top pre-Calipari holdover. "It's just a matter of doing work on the court, jelling as a team and performing when the lights come up."
“我們堅信我們會成為一支(全美)4強(qiáng)球隊,”三年級生帕特里克·帕特森,這位“前科里帕里”時代的核心信心滿滿?!拔覀冎灰谇驁錾细珊米约涸撟龅?保持這支球隊的團(tuán)結(jié)和進(jìn)取心,黑暗過后就是光明一片?!?/p>
For now, Calipari is fine with the blue-sky outlook in the Bluegrass State, but he's also aware of the challenges his team faces."I'm letting them run with all these wild thoughts, and I'm not saying a whole lot. But at some point you have to say, 'Guys, six new players, six returning players.' Never have they all played together as a team, and never have they run this offense before," Calipari said.But don't look for him to stomp the momentum entirely. "If we're going to dream big dreams, let's go for it," he said. "If everybody thinks we're that good, maybe we are."
現(xiàn)在,科里帕里早已經(jīng)適應(yīng)了“藍(lán)草州”(肯塔基州的昵稱)的“藍(lán)天白云”,但是他也做好心理準(zhǔn)備,明白他手下這支球隊將要面臨多少困難?!拔視屗麄冊谝磺携偪竦南敕ㄏ缕疵?自然我沒有說有多瘋狂。但是有些重要的事情你必須去提:‘這支球隊,6名新兵蛋子,6個返校球員。他們從未集體在一起打過球,他們還未在一起完成過一次戰(zhàn)術(shù)演練?!笨评锱晾镎f。但是千萬不要以為肯塔基會放棄夢想?!凹偃缥覀円黄鹑橐粋€夢想努力,共同做一個大夢,那我們就得去追逐這個夢想?!彼^續(xù)說?!澳敲?當(dāng)所有人都認(rèn)為我們足夠出色時,也許我們確實能有所成就。”
Welcome to Campus 新將登場
John Wall, 6-foot-4, PG (No. 5 ESPNU 100)
約翰·沃爾,1米93、控衛(wèi)(ESPN評選全美高中生第五)
Of all the Wildcats' shortcomings last season, ball control was their biggest sin. The Cats coughed up the ball on 23.8 percent of possessions (316th in the country). One season later, consider that problem addressed. With the additions of Wall and fellow frosh PG Eric Bledsoe, Kentucky should have a handle on its … well, handle. The next step is to open up the throttle."We're going to be fast," Calipari said. "Like, really fast."
去年最讓肯塔基頭疼的就是“控球”,這是他們所有短板里最為凸顯的一點??纤犆總€進(jìn)攻回合,有23.8%的概率出現(xiàn)失誤丟球(全國排名316位)。經(jīng)過了一個賽季,這個問題得到了重視,新兵沃爾和另一個新人控衛(wèi)埃里克·布雷松的加盟,將大為改善肯塔基這一軟肋。自然當(dāng)肯塔基找到了合適的“劍柄”和舞劍之人,那么下一步自然是試試這進(jìn)攻的“劍鋒”威力。“我們的節(jié)奏會變快的,真的變得很快?!笨评锱晾镎勄蝻L(fēng)轉(zhuǎn)變。
Keeping Wall out of the lane is virtually impossible, and it doesn't hurt that his build and game mirror those of former Calipari pupil Derrick Rose, the reigning NBA Rookie of the Year. But don't expect him to be a one-man show. "I was surprised by his IQ on the court," Patterson said after a few pickup games with Wall. "He knows where to put the ball. He knows what shot to take. He knows what's a bad shot. He's just an overall monster."
想要阻擋沃爾的進(jìn)攻絕非易事,這會讓人聯(lián)想到科里帕里當(dāng)年的得意門生德里克·羅斯,后者是2008年度最佳新秀,不可否認(rèn)兩人相似的就像鏡像一樣。但就算沃爾有獨當(dāng)一面之能,也不能指望每晚只看他一個人表演。“他的籃球智商之高讓我驚嘆,”隊友帕特森在和沃爾臨時搭檔了幾場比賽后大贊其才能。“他總知道球已經(jīng)帶到哪里,總知道如何選擇投籃時機(jī)。他就是個能力高出想象的籃球妖人?!?/p>
DeMarcus Cousins, 6-11, C (No. 4 ESPNU 100)
德馬庫斯·康辛斯,2米11,中鋒(ESPN評選全美高中生第四)
The versatile Cousins is essentially a younger, bigger version of Patterson with the ability to bang in the post and operate outside the paint. And he has the moves to keep up when UK looks to run. "[In pick-up games] he'd grab the ball off the rim, run downcourt, and do a little crossover between the legs and lay it up," Patterson said. "He surprised me with his ballhandling skills at his size and stature."With 6-foot-10, 260-pound Daniel Orton (No. 13 ESPNU 100) also arriving as a frosh and Perry Stevenson returning, the Wildcats boast an impressive stable of players capable of doing the dirty work down low.
全能型球員康辛斯其實就是帕特森的“年輕加長版”,一樣的有沖擊力,一樣的多才多藝能里能外。即使肯塔基提高進(jìn)攻節(jié)奏,康辛斯也能跟上速度?!?季前訓(xùn)練賽中)他可以搶下籃板,并直接運球發(fā)動快攻,殺入對方禁區(qū),完成上籃?!迸撂厣f?!跋袼@種身高都超過2米11的大個子,竟然有如此嫻熟的控球技術(shù),委實難得。”隨著身高2米08的內(nèi)線丹尼爾·奧頓(ESPN評選全美高中生第13位)以及佩里·斯蒂文森的回歸,肯塔基在內(nèi)線擁有了一批精兵強(qiáng)將。
Team Twitter 球隊微博客
Calipari is a constant tweeter, and although there's a heavy emphasis on his fearsome dog and the last five places he ate, he's still focused on UK hoops:
科里帕里可是一個積極的微博客愛好者,雖說大部分博客內(nèi)容都是關(guān)于他家那條膽小的小狗,以及最近5處他吃飯的地方,不過他最關(guān)心的依然是肯塔基大學(xué)。
UKCoachCalipari: "It's gratifying 2 know so many young men want 2 b part of what we're building. We only pursue studnt-athletes who'll contribute 2 our goals."
肯塔基教練科里帕里的微博客:“我知道有很多很多的年輕人希望能成為這支球隊的一部分,希望能夠成為球隊建設(shè)的一部分。但是,我們只需要那些能夠為我們做出貢獻(xiàn)的球員。”
http://insider.espn.go.com/ncb/insider/news/story?id=4336267&&appRedirect;=http%3a%2f%2finsider.espn.go.com%2fncb%2finsider%2fnews%2fstory%3fid%3d4336267