Witness Kobe Bryant gather the ball in the low post, draw defenders to him, head fake, do a 360-spin, pretend that he’s dishing the ball to a cutter and then lean back for a wide-open jumper.
看著科比在低位接球,吸引了防守人的注意力,他做了假動作,然后坐做個360度的轉(zhuǎn)身,假裝要把球傳給切入內(nèi)線的隊友,然后回身,他的眼前是巨大的空位投籃機會。
See LeBron James use less of his tight end-like muscles and more of his ballet-step agility to dip and spin, make like he’s going left toward the baseline and then come back right for an up-and-under move that puts him at the edge of the rim for a layup or dunk.
看勒布朗·詹姆斯更多地利用他的靈活性而不是強大的肌肉力量移動和轉(zhuǎn)身,做出似乎要向底線左轉(zhuǎn)的動作,隨后向右移動,再做出閃躲動作,這為他下一步的上籃或扣籃贏得了更多的優(yōu)勢。
Observe how Dwight Howard takes the ball on the left side of the lane, moves and dribbles into the paint, uses a deke here and feint there and lifts off his left pivot foot to drop in a soft, unobstructed jump hook.
注意觀察德懷特·霍華德是怎么在罰球弧左側(cè)球向油漆區(qū)移動的,他不停地做著假動作,然后用左腳的軸心腳起跳,成功地投出一個柔和而未受干擾的勾手。
Watch their feet, look at their free-flowing, improvisational style and see the hand -- if not the ghost -- of Hakeem Olajuwon in those moves.
觀察他們的腳步,注意他們那些即興發(fā)揮的移動,看著他們的手——如果這不是鬼魂——哈基姆·奧拉朱旺的影子就在那些移動之中。
At 49 and now 10 years removed from playing his last NBA game, Olajuwon has become basketball’s ③Yoda, the wizened warrior who dispenses on-court acumen to a line of present-day stars and journeyman.
年滿49歲,距離他上一次NBA比賽已經(jīng)過去了10年,如今的奧拉朱旺已經(jīng)成了籃球界的尤達大師。這個干瘦的勇士把自己在場上的聰明才智傳授給了現(xiàn)在的巨星和球員們。
\"No secrets,\" Olajuwon says with a laugh,\"just footwork.\"
“沒什么秘密,”奧拉朱旺笑著說,“就是步法?!?/p>
The late Pete Newell, legendary for teaching the fundamentals of the game, once described Olajuwon’s moves as: \"The best footwork I have ever seen from a big man.\"
傳授籃球基本功方面的傳奇人物皮特·內(nèi)維爾有一次這樣形容奧拉朱旺的移動:“我所見過的大個子球員中最好的步法?!?/p>
After beginning with a few private tutoring sessions for then-Bobcats rookie center Emeka Okafor in the summer of 2005, Olajuwon’s tutorials have expanded to include forwards and guards. In recent offseasons, a diverse list that includes Bryant, Howard, James, Rashard Lewis, Josh Smith, Marcin Gortat, Garret Siler, DeSagana Diop, D.J. Mbenga and Luol Deng have traveled to Houston to attend the socalled \"Dream School.\"
自從2005年夏天為當時山貓隊的菜鳥中鋒埃梅卡·奧卡福進行過幾次私人訓練后,奧拉朱旺的教學對象擴大到了前鋒和后衛(wèi)。在最近的幾個休賽期中,包括科比、霍華德、詹姆斯、拉沙德·劉易斯、約什·史密斯、馬辛·戈塔特、加里特·塞勒、德賽加納·迪奧普、DJ·姆本加和盧爾·鄧在內(nèi)的一大批球員都去過休斯頓,加入了那個被稱為“大夢學?!钡牡胤?。
He lives primarily in Amman, Jordan, with his family, but returns frequently to Houston to tend to business interests and extend a hand to the NBA’s next generation. He doesn’t charge for his time and he sends each of his pupils home with video of their sessions.
奧拉朱旺大多數(shù)時間跟家人一起住在約旦的安曼,但他經(jīng)常會回到休斯頓,照顧自己的生意,和NBA的下一代球員們接觸。奧拉朱旺不收學費,輔導(dǎo)結(jié)束后,他還會給學生們送教學錄像帶。
\"I was a little bit surprised at how much I liked it at first,\" Olajuwon said. \"I have never had any real interest in a becoming a traditional coach with the travel and the clipboard and being tied to a schedule. But I figured if these players wanted to come to me and I could pass a few things along, then everyone benefits. What interests me is showing some of today’s players how they can take their game to a higher level.
“最初我對于自己喜歡這事還是有點小驚訝的,”奧拉朱旺說,“我對成為一個傳統(tǒng)意義上的教練從來都沒有興趣,什么到處旅行、戰(zhàn)術(shù)板以及跟著賽程走這些事。但我覺得,如果這些球員想找我?guī)兔?,而我也能向他們傳授一些,那所有人都能受益。真正讓我感興趣的是,告訴現(xiàn)在的球員們,他們能把自己的比賽帶到一個更高的高度?!?/p>
\"Their recognizing the importance of the post moves, that’s a huge compliment for me. And I know also that I can add value to players’ careers. There is no question about that.\"
“他們對低位移動重要性的認識,這對我來說也是很大的榮譽。而且我也明白,我能提高球員們職業(yè)生涯的價值,這點毫無疑問?!?/p>
Olajuwon explains that there was nothing raw and intrinsic about the style of play that enabled him to build an 18-year, Hall of Fame NBA career. It was the footwork that he developed from playing soccer and team handball as a young athlete in Nigeria that helped lay the groundwork for an array of basketball moves that opened up on-court options.
奧拉朱旺表示,他18年的職業(yè)生涯以及進入名人堂跟打球的風格沒什么關(guān)系,是他的步法——他年輕時候在尼日利亞接受過的足球和手球訓練——為他在籃球場上的移動打下了底子,增加了他在場上的選擇空間。
Olajuwon still has the moves, the polish, a satin feel to his game. His body is still lean and taut, his large brown eyes still filled with confidence. The only traces of age are those few gray strands in his closely-cropped hair.
奧拉朱旺到現(xiàn)在還保持著那種移動能力,那種歷經(jīng)打磨的、柔和的感覺。他依舊很瘦,他大大的棕色眼睛里充滿著自信。唯一一點時間的痕跡就是那些灰發(fā)了。
He is diligent, meticulous and patient in his lessons, starting with basic moves in the paint and adding options that are often subtle but devastatingly effective. Seeing the moves executed slowly, broken down, is realizing how numerous and complex they are.
課堂上,奧拉朱旺總是很勤奮,很謹慎,很耐心。他會從內(nèi)線的基本移動開始,然后增加一些通常很細小但卻非常有效的選擇。慢慢看這些移動,仔細分析,你會發(fā)現(xiàn)那些動作是頻繁而復(fù)雜的。
When Olajuwon demonstrates -- whirling, spinning, dipping, twirling with the ball -- his pupils kick into overdrive trying to comprehend. They want to make connections from A to B to C to D. But he wants them to get from A to B and then consider an infinite world of possibilities. Olajuwon’s game en route to winning two NBA titles, an MVP award, five first-team All-NBA honors and a dozen All-Star nods was always more reactive to the defense.
當奧拉朱旺演示時——回轉(zhuǎn)、轉(zhuǎn)身、壓低上身,帶球轉(zhuǎn)動——他學生們正在耗費大量腦細胞試圖理解。他們想從A到B到C到D之間找到聯(lián)系,而奧拉朱旺希望他們搞明白從A到B,然后自己發(fā)現(xiàn)剩下的無窮選擇。奧拉朱旺的兩次NBA總冠軍,一次MVP,五次第一陣容和十二次全明星不僅僅是對防守做出的反應(yīng)而已。
\"Don’t try to go through,\" Olajuwon said.\"Find a way around. It’s easier.\"
“不要想著應(yīng)付過去?!眾W拉朱旺說,“找到共存的方法,這會更簡單?!?/p>
It’s the light to the unobstructed path that All-Stars such as Bryant, Howard and James have sought from him. Bryant traveled to Houston in 2009, Howard in 2010 and 2011 and James in 2011 after this Miami Heat lost in The Finals.
這就是諸如科比、霍華德和詹姆斯這樣的全明星球員向他咨詢的通暢之路??票仍?009年去了休斯頓,霍華德是2010年,而詹姆斯則在邁阿密熱火輸?shù)艨倹Q賽的2011年到訪了休斯頓。
\"When you want to learn about footwork and about post moves, you go to the King,\" Bryant said, \"and that’s Hakeem. I was ecstatic to work with him. I was like a kid learning something new. It’s like opening up that Christmas gift. You know what’s in it and it’s the excitement of opening it. That’s the feeling I had.\"
“如果你想學習步法,想學習低位移動,你得去找國王?!笨票日f,“那就是哈基姆。能跟他一起練習讓我非常高興,我就像學習新知識的小孩子一樣,就像打開圣誕節(jié)的禮物一樣。你知道里面是什么,那是打開禮物時的那種興奮感覺。這就是我的感受?!?/p>
\"I was shocked when I got an e-mail from him,\" Olajuwon said. \"At first I thought he was kidding. I mean, Kobe had all the moves already. What did he have to learn?\"
“當我接到他的電子郵件時我很震驚。”奧拉朱旺說,“開始我以為他是開玩笑的。我的意思是,科比已經(jīng)了解了各種移動,他還要學什么?”
Bryant wanted to glean some of Olajuwon’s post and mid-post moves to allow him to get free for easier face-up baskets and score more efficiently, the way Michael Jordan did in the latter portion of his career.
科比想學習奧拉朱旺的一些低位和中距離步法,好讓他能更輕松地面對籃筐,讓得分變得更有效率,就像邁克爾·喬丹在他職業(yè)生涯后期那樣。
\"Kobe had the natural instincts. He already knew mostly what he had to do. He just wanted some added tips about how to clear that space in traffic, in the area close to the basket. If you watch Kobe, you see him do it all. He has fantastic post moves.\"
“科比有那種本能,他已經(jīng)會了大部分該會的。他只是需要一些在靠近籃筐的人堆中清開空間的小竅門。如果你看科比的比賽,你會發(fā)現(xiàn)他都能做。他的低位腳步非常出色。”
After eight seasons of thriving on bullrushes to the hoop and pulling up for long jumpers, what James wanted was to find a middle ground in a mid-range game.
在八年全是直沖籃筐和遠距離跳投的比賽后,詹姆斯想要提高的是自己中距離的技術(shù)。
\"I know what Hakeem was able to do in his career,\" James said. \"He was an MVP . He won championships and he did it by dominating in the low post. I just want to see and work on some of the areas where I could get better and hammer it home.\"
“我知道哈基姆在他職業(yè)生涯里能做的事?!闭材匪拐f,“他是個MVP,他贏得過冠軍,而且是用統(tǒng)治禁區(qū)的方法做到的。我只是想看看,在我自己能改進的地方下些功夫?!?/p>
While his scoring average has ticked up this season, James’ 3-point shot attempts are down dramatically. He’s operating closer to the basket.
本賽季當他的平均得分上升時,詹姆斯的三分投籃卻大量下降。他的得分開始更靠近籃筐了。
\"I can see some of the things we worked on in LeBron’s game this season,\" Olajuwon said. \"When he came, I said to him, ’What are you trying to accomplish?’ He told me that he has been playing outside and he really wanted to establish his post moves.
“本賽季我能在詹姆斯里的比賽里看到我們一起訓練的一些技術(shù)?!眾W拉朱旺說,“當他過來時,我對他說:‘你想達到什么目標?’他告訴我,他一直在外線打球,他真的想打磨自己的低位腳步?!?/p>
\"But it isn’t just about the post move. It is inside-outside, because almost every night he has an advantage over the guy who is guarding him. So it was about how to turn the outside game into an inside game using all of the same skills and strength. When I see how he is separating from his guy now, I see easier shots. I see a game all over the floor that is very, very difficult to stop.\"
“但這并不只是低位移動,這是內(nèi)外結(jié)合,因為每一晚他在對位上都會有優(yōu)勢。所以這是如何用同樣的技術(shù)和力量,把他的外線打法改成內(nèi)線打法。如今我看到他如何破解防守,我看到了更多輕松的出手機會。我看到了全面的打法,這是非常非常難防守的?!?/p>
Olajuwon says Howard’s quickness and leaping ability, not his size, should give him an advantage on his opponents.
奧拉朱旺表示,霍華德的身高并不是他面對防守時最大的優(yōu)勢,他的速度和彈跳能力才是。
\"I started with Dwight’s feet and tried to build everything from there,\" Olajuwon said.\"The first fake is to clear space. The second fake -- a head-pump maybe -- is to get the defender off his feet.
“我從德懷特的腳部開始,試著一切從那開始?!眾W拉朱旺說?!暗谝粋€假動作是為了清開空間,第二個假動作——頭部假動作——是為了讓防守人起跳。”
\"On TV I see opportunities for him that he is not taking. He still tries to go through and not around.\"
“我在電視上看到,出現(xiàn)機會時他沒有抓住。他還是想著應(yīng)付這些問題,而不是怎么去順勢而動?!?/p>
The image to envision is water running down a rocky hillside -- seeking a path to simply flow.
這時應(yīng)該出現(xiàn)的畫面是,水從石頭的山坡上留下——只是簡單地找到流下去的路。
\"Dwight needs to do more work, much more,\" Olajuwon said. \"I watch him and I don’t see much of what we worked on. I think he has been distracted all season with all of the contract talk. Now that it is behind him for now, maybe he can go back to work.\"
“德懷特需要更多的努力,很多很多?!眾W拉朱旺說,“看他的比賽,我看不到太多我們一起練過的東西。我覺得整個賽季他都被合同的事分了心?,F(xiàn)在這事暫時過去了,或許他能好好練習了?!?/p>
Or back to Dream School and the Hall of Fame teacher.
或許他該回到大夢學校,回到名人堂老師的身邊。