給NBA菜鳥弟弟的一封信-Dorell Wright - NBA

Letter to My Younger Brother
日　　期：SEP 30 2015
作　　者：Dorell Wright
原文連結：http://goo.gl/KqJRY5
http://www.theplayerstribune.com/dorell-wright-delon-wright-brothers
-nba-rookie-letter/
http://i.imgur.com/BYeiqbA.jpg

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譯註：Dorell Wright(2004年熱火19順位選秀)寫給弟弟
Delon Wright(2015年暴龍20順位新秀)的一封公開信，
發表在《球員論壇》(The Players Tribune)網站。
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Dear Delon,

There’s a lot for you to know heading into your rookie year in Toronto.

Let’s start with some practical information — stuff that may not have been
mentioned at the NBA rookie symposium.

親愛的老弟：

你在多倫多開始菜鳥球季之前，還有好多事情要學。

讓我們從最實際的地方開始吧，這些可是你在NBA菜鳥大會裡學不到的。

First, run away from the card games on the team plane. Don’t play. Don’t
sit down at that table. And if you do play, put a limit on your buy-in.
Pick a number, and if you lose it, get up. Guys will talk trash and try
to keep you in.

“C’mon, man! You’re done?”

Just say, “Yep,” and walk back to your seat.

首先，遠離球隊專機上的牌局。不要打牌、不要在牌桌上摻一咖。
如果你玩了，給自己一個上限。訂一個數字，如果你輸了，馬上起身離開。
其他人會說垃圾話、設法留住你。

「嘿，老兄！你玩完了？」

就說「是啊！」，然後回去自己的座位。

Second, get ready to hear lots of trash talk from the fans. Some places are
worse than others. Golden State is going to be live this year because
they’re the defending champs. I love playing there. Madison Square Garden
is always crazy. And in Philly, there’s this guy behind the Sixers bench
who writes down all your stats on a dry-erase board if you’re struggling.
He’s hilarious, so don’t take that too personally. When I was traded to
Philly in 2012, he was the first guy I asked about. I wanted to make sure
he was still a season-ticket holder.

And Dude got me this past year when I wasn’t playing much with Portland.
He put up my stats, like 2.3 points, 1.3 rebounds, 10 minutes. I laughed
so hard. Tears, man. You have to laugh at it.

第二、做好心理準備，球迷會對你噴垃圾話，在某些球館這種情形尤其嚴重。
打算衛冕的金州勇士主場今年會非常熱鬧。我喜歡在那打球。MSG永遠那麼狂熱。
在費城，有個傢伙總是坐在七六人板凳席後方，
他會把你所有的數據寫在白板上，特別是你打得差的時候。
他很搞笑，所以別太在意。2012年我被交易到費城時，
第一個打聽的人就是他，我想知道他是否仍是買季票的死忠球迷。

上季我在拓荒者上場機會不多，被他逮到了。
他寫下我的數據：2.3分、1.3籃板、場均10分鐘。
我笑得太厲害，眼淚都流下來了。對此你只能一笑置之。

More seriously, I know my wife Mia has spoken to you about the women
you’re going to meet, and more importantly who will be trying to meet you.

She understands. She’s in the family room at the arena. She’s seen all
kinds of different women come and go. Different teams, different girlfriends,
wives, fiancees — she knows more than I ever will. So whatever she says,
do it. You’ll be happier, more focused and you’ll stay out of trouble.

再來講點嚴肅的，你嫂嫂 Mia 已經和你談過，你會遇到什麼樣的女人，
重點是：什麼樣的女人會想法子接近你。

她坐在球館的家屬席，一切都看在眼裡。形形色色的女人來來去去，
不同的球隊、不同的女友、老婆、未婚妻，這些她懂的比我多得多。
所以不管她說了什麼，照做就是了。這樣你會更快樂、更專注，
也不會給自己惹一身腥。

And then there’s money. We all know that when it’s there and coming in,
it’s easy to go out there and spend, spend, spend. Every athlete goes
through a time when they’re going over budget (and yes, you should have
a budget).

再來是錢的事。當錢滾滾而來，要花錢如流水太容易了。每個運動員，
都經歷過一段揮霍無度的時期（對！你還應該要有個限度）。

What they don’t tell you is that it’s not just the availability of money
that adds temptation, but time. You have all this free time to buy, buy, buy.
Really, free time is the root of the trouble you can find as a pro. That’s
the hardest thing about the adjustment you’re about to make. When I was at
prep school before jumping to the NBA, I had a strict schedule. Be at school
at 7:30. Breakfast. Assembly. Class all day, then basketball. Afterwards, it
was study hall and maybe one more chance to sneak in some gym time. Most of
your days in college were basically planned for you, too.

沒人告訴你的是，除了大把的鈔票，還有大把的時間，更讓人禁不起誘惑。
你有的是時間去買、買、買。說真的，職業運動員的閒暇時間往往是麻煩的根源。
時間的調適，對你而言會是最困難的。我進NBA前在念大學先修班，時間排得滿滿滿。
早上七點半到校，吃早餐、集會、上一整天課、打球。之後是晚自習，
也許找機會溜進體育館再練習。你的大學生涯也是這樣規劃好的。

In the NBA, on non-game days, you’re there at 8 a.m. to get your extra
work in and then practice with the team. That takes maybe four hours, tops.
Now you’ve got the rest of the day to yourself. You’ll need to learn how
to manage your time. My rookie year, after practice, I used to head to
24 Hour Fitness and play even more ball. We used to go to the movies,
or just go back to the house, chilling around.

I managed to pull that off … in Miami.

進了NBA，休賽日你只需要在早上八點報到，自主練習再加團練，
頂多四個小時吧！接下來你有整天的空閒時間。你必須學會時間管理。
在我菜鳥年時，每次練習後我都直奔24小時健身中心去加緊練球。
我們有時會去看電影，不然就直接回家放鬆。

我不但做到這一切，而且還是在邁‧阿‧密。

http://i.imgur.com/RYICWHo.jpg

I remember having to explain to you why I wasn’t playing when you were
11 or 12. You felt my pain. The truth is, I wasn’t ready. The guys ahead
of me were better, and a month after I was drafted in Miami, we traded for
Shaq, so now we were championship contenders. I went from coming into a
young team where I thought I’d play 20-30 minutes a game to playing 159
total minutes over my first two seasons. I had to wait my turn.

我還記得必須向你解釋為什麼上不了場，那時你才11,12歲大。
但你了解我的痛。事實就是：我還不成氣候。排在我前面的人比我更好。
我被熱火選中的一個月後，我們交易來了Shaq，成了爭冠隊伍。
我本以為在一支年輕隊伍，有機會場均20-30分鐘，結果生涯的頭兩年，
我加起來只上場了159分鐘。我只能等待出頭天。

But I had great vets around me: Wesley Person, Steve Smith, Eddie Jones
and Gary Payton among them. They all told me my time was going to come,
that Jermaine O’Neal and Tracy McGrady had to wait their turn, as well.
They also taught me that you’ve got to sacrifice your pride for the next
guy. Cheer him on. Be a great teammate. I learned that over my first few
years, sitting at the end of the bench and watching with those guys.

但我的身邊有許多優秀老將：Wesley Person, Steve Smith, Eddie Jones
還有Gary Payton等人。他們都對我說：總有一天會輪到我。
小歐和T-Mac也是這麼熬過來的。他們還教我：放下自尊，替身邊的隊友加油打氣，
做個好隊友。在我生涯頭幾年，我坐在板凳最末端、觀察這些老將，學到了這一切。

Plus, there was Alonzo Mourning. He had something to say to me every day.
He would look you right in the eye, lean his head in a little bit and shake
your hand like he’s gonna break it. You just knew he was serious. Alonzo
talked about being a professional. Treating people with respect. How to
carry yourself and dress well. That’s what Alonzo stood for, and since he
was the Miami Heat, that’s what we all stood for.

還有莫寧，他每天都會找我聊聊。
他總是直視你的眼睛、頭微微前傾，握手緊得讓你覺得手快斷掉。
你能感受到他的真誠。莫寧教我如何做個職業球員：
尊重他人，還有合宜的舉止和打扮。
這就是莫寧，他代表邁阿密熱火，也是我們所有人的表率。

But you’re in a different situation with the Raptors. You’re in position
to play right away as a rookie on a team with serious postseason aspirations.
That’s a lot of responsibility, and there will be ups and downs. At times
you’ll play well, at others you won’t. You might catch a few DNP-CDs for
whatever reason. No matter what, just continue believing and keeping your
head, because it can always come back around. That’s what I’ve been
preaching to young guys the last few years. This is a marathon, man.
You’ve got to continue to get your work in, practice hard and be ready
whenever your name is called.

你在暴龍隊的情況和我不同。菜鳥年就有機會在一支季後賽隊伍上場。
你責任重大，而且免不了會起起伏伏，表現時好時壞。
你可能會因為種種原因被教練DNP。不管怎樣，要相信自己、平心靜氣，
因為情況總會好轉。過去幾年，我也是這樣教導其他菜鳥的。
這是一場馬拉松，你要持續努力、賣力練習，在被叫上場時做好準備。

You’ll also be taken care of in Toronto. I’m close with Kyle Lowry, going
back to those four-star camps, ABCD and AAU. DeMar DeRozan is somebody who
looked up to me in high school, and he played on my team at the Drew League
when he was still in eighth and ninth grade. Those are two great dudes,
and I know they’re going to look out for you. I didn’t even have to ask.
They reached out to me and let me know you’re in great hands.

Do what they say. Follow their lead.

多倫多會有人罩你。Kyle Lowry和我很要好，我們在四星籃球營如ABCD和AAU
的時候就認識了。DeMar DeRozan高中時跟著我打球，他八、九年級時，
打德魯聯盟也在我隊上。我甚至不用拜託他們，他們主動來找我，說會好好照顧你。

他們說什麼，你只管照著做。

Oh, and here’s a nice little perk: Since you’re a rookie, if you’re doing
what you’re supposed to be doing and behaving like a pro, on road trips
vets like me will throw you their per diem envelope. Whatever rook looked out
for me, bringing in my gear in the morning or doing those small things a vet
needs, as soon as we get off the plane, I’ll just hand the envelope over.
Those extra per diems are pretty sweet and can go a long way.

喔，這裡有個小撇步：身為菜鳥，有菜鳥應盡的本分，而且還要做得專業。
去打客場比賽時，我們這些老將會把球隊發的津貼扔給菜鳥。
哪個菜鳥肯用心，早上幫忙送球衣，或是下飛機後替老將跑腿，
我會直接把每日津貼賞給他。能多賺點外快，絕對不無小補啊。

And if you’re going to bother saving your money, don’t waste it picking
up T’s. They cost too much. Two grand off the top, and then higher if you
start piling them up. More importantly, you don’t want to develop a rep,
especially as a point guard. You need the respect of the refs. Not to be
teacher’s pet, but so you can talk to them during games. Little things
like that can go a long way over time.

還有，如果你想存錢的話，千萬不要技術犯規。罰款很貴。
吃一個T，兩千塊就飛了，技術犯規累積越多，罰金也越高。
更要緊的是，身為控衛，你可不希望給人常吃T的印象。
你需要裁判的尊重。不是當個乖乖牌，而是在比賽中可以和他們溝通。
這些眉角長遠下來對你大有幫助。

When the refs call players up to meet before the game, most guys like to
take that time and get up extra shots. Don’t. If Kyle goes up, go with him.
Speak to the refs. Just a little small talk. I had this talk with Damian
Lillard last year in Portland. He liked to get up those shots, instead.
I said, “You can’t send C.J. McCollum and Meyers Leonard up there.
You’ve got to go talk to those guys, because they feel like that’s a
sign of respect.” Show them that respect, and they’re going to respect
you on the court.

當裁判在開賽時召集球員，有些人會抓緊時間再多投幾球。別這麼做。
如果Lowry上前集合，你要跟上。和裁判聊聊，寒暄兩句也好。
去年在拓荒者，我也是這麼告訴Lillard。他喜歡多練投幾球。
我說：「你總不能讓C.J. McCollum和Meyers Leonard去代表球隊吧。
你要去和裁判說話，他們認為這是一種尊重。」
尊重裁判，裁判也會在場上尊重你。

One more thought on money: When you come back home to L.A. to play the
Lakers and Clippers, everyone is going to call you for tickets. That was
one of the things I struggled with early in my career. I wasn’t even
playing, and I was getting 30-something ticket requests for people to
come see me dressed all nice on the bench. I used to spend a lot of money
buying tickets.

Here’s your story: “I’ve only got 10 tickets, and these are going to my
immediate family, so I can’t do anything for you.”

再說另一點關於錢的：當你回加州比賽，對上湖人或快艇，
每個人都會打電話跟你要門票。在生涯初期，這事一直讓我非常為難。
我根本上不了場，卻要準備30幾張票，讓人家來看我穿著整齊蹲板凳。
我以前花了大筆的錢在買票上頭。

你可以這麼告訴大家：
「我只能拿到10張票，要留給最親近的家人，抱歉幫不上你的忙。」

And while we’re talking family, it’s going to be hard for me playing in
China this year, because I won’t be around for your rookie season. But I
know it’ll be fine. I’ll still be able to watch some games, and when I do,
you’re going to get a long text message afterward with all the things I see.
I’m sure you’re going to tell me the same thing you said at school: “Yeah,
my coach told me that already,” but too bad. I’m never going to stop
coaching you and being your big brother.

說到家人，今年我將遠赴中國打球，菜鳥球季無法陪在你身邊，這很難熬。
但不要緊，我還是會設法看比賽。只要我看了比賽，一定會傳一大串簡訊，
告訴你我的觀察。我知道，你會像學生時代一樣，回我：
「嗯，教練已經跟我說過了。」
沒辦法，我總忍不住想指點你，誰叫我是你大哥呢！

And remember, just step away from the card games.

最後切記～一定要遠離牌局。


-大哥 Dorell


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