https://pse.is/426fnh
HOW JARED DUDLEY SWITCHED SEATS ON THE BENCH AND BECAME A KEY PART OF THE MAVS
Jared Dudley thought he would be wearing a Lakers jersey right now. When the
Lakers made their way to Dallas in December, Dudley was on the court, but in
a completely different role than he imagined–a coach for the Dallas
Mavericks.
去年12月當湖人作客達拉斯時，達叔以為他應該穿著湖人隊的球衣站在場上，現實卻與
他所想的大不相同，現在的他是獨行俠的教練。
When Dudley took off his Lakers jersey in early June 2021 after a
series-ending loss to the Suns in the first round, he fully expected to put
it back on a few months later. But free agency passed and he was preparing
for the season when a zoom call with the Lakers took him by surprise.
2021年6月湖人第一輪被太陽淘汰後，達叔脫下球衣，他完全相信自己會在幾個月內回到
這支球隊，但自由市場開市後，日子一天天過去，正當他為了新賽季準備時，接到湖人打
來的電話，震驚了他。
“I had a Zoom meeting with them,” Dudley said. “They were looking to go
younger. That was their whole message. I talked with Bron, AD, and Russ and
they all wanted me back. But the organization wanted to go a different way
and all you can do is respect it.”
達叔說：「我和他們開了一個視訊會議，他們希望補強年輕人，我和LBJ、AD和Russ談過
，他們都希望我回來，但球隊選擇另外一個方向，而我也尊重他們。」
If Dudley knew of the Lakers’ desire to go younger earlier in the summer
when free agency was just getting underway, he might still be wearing a
jersey right now. “If I would have known beforehand, I might have gone to
the Clippers with T-Lue or with Chauncey in Portland. There were so many
people I had resources to.”
如果達叔早就知道湖人想補強年輕人，現在他應該還穿著球衣，「他們提早告訴我的
話，我或許會去快艇找扣取盧或是去波特蘭找槍西，有很多人願意給我機會」
Dudley obviously didn’t get that chance and had to change course. The next
step: to become an NBA general manager. His plan was to live in Los Angeles
and commute back-and-forth to New York for Adam Silver’s GM program.
但達叔很明顯並沒有得到工作，並且需要改變他的目標：他想成為球隊GM，他打算住在
洛杉磯並且往返紐約參加阿銀的GM計畫。
All of this unfolded as Dudley was in Las Vegas training for the season,
something he has done throughout his career. Training alongside Kyle Lowry,
Josh Green, and other NBA players, Dudley received a call from a friend –
former Lakers assistant and current Mavericks assistant, Greg St. Jean.
正當達叔照慣例在洛杉磯，與Kyle Lowry、Josh Green等球員訓練時，他接到一通由前
湖人助教、現任獨行俠助教Greg St. Jean打給他的電話。
“We might have an opportunity for you,” St. Jean said over the phone.
「我們或許有個機會給你。」St. Jean在電話上是這麼說的。
Over the next few days, everything fell into place. Once Jason Kidd and Nico
Harrison came calling, registering Dudley’s interest in joining Kidd’s
coaching staff in a front-of-the-bench role, it was an opportunity Dudley
couldn’t pass up. So, what was the pitch from Kidd to Dudley on why he
should hang up the jersey to join his coaching staff?
幾天之後，所有事情都明朗了，Kidd和Nico打電話給達叔，激起他的興趣加入Kidd的教
練團，這是一個他難以拒絕的機會，但最後讓Kidd打動達叔的關鍵是什麼呢？
Kidd talked about the combination of Harrison, Luka Doncic, and an owner that
wants to win. How they were building something in Dallas and wanted a player’
s perspective with the influence of Dudley. “I think they were thinking
about Rasheed Wallace as a candidate. They had different candidates. I think
they both knew that I dealt with other players like LeBron, Giannis, Booker,
Bradley Beal. To help Luka and KP. Not only that, but we are also looking for
free agents. I know 70 percent of the league.”
Kidd談到全隊上下從老闆、GM到Luka Doncic都渴望贏球，以及他們想在達拉斯打造的東西
，需要達叔帶來一些球員方面的觀點。「我認為他們也有考慮許多不同的人選，例如
Rasheed Wallace，但他們知道我和LBJ、字母、書人和Beal等人相處過，不僅能幫助
Luka和KP，也有助於招攬自由球員，聯盟大約70%的球員我都認識。」
“Duds just finished playing and probably could still play,” Kidd said after
practice one day. In fact, if you stick around long enough, you can catch
Dudley getting in a sweat with the guys post-practice as he helps instill a
defensive system that comes from Frank Vogel.
Kidd在某天練習結束後說：「達叔才剛結束練習而且肯定還能繼續。」實際上，
如果你待的夠久，會發現練習結束後，汗流浹背的達叔還在將他從Vogel那學來的防守系統
灌輸給球員。
Dudley knew the scrimmaging in practice would be the easy part, but he didn’
t expect the coaching part to be as easy. He got the computer work and
cutting clips down in just a few weeks. The public speaking comes naturally
and the scouting is a newfound love. Watching a team play five times as he
scouts and develops gameplans is one of his favorite parts of the job.
Because he knows that if he doesn’t do his job, players will sniff that out
quick. “Me being a coach, they respect your professionalism depending how
prepared you are,” Dudley said. “You can’t bull**** a player.”
達叔認為球員參與練習是很單純的，但作為教練就不同了，他必須花好幾個禮拜的時間
剪影片，研究比賽則是他的新寵，重看一支球隊5次並且制定比賽計畫是他最喜歡做的事，
因為他知道如果沒認真做事，球員很快就能察覺，「身為一個教練，你多認真準備，球員
就會多尊敬你，永遠別想唬爛球員。」
Dudley does his job, and he does it well. Most of all, he enjoys it, but he
also misses the comradery in the locker room. The plane rides and the bus
rides to the arena. For someone who loves the relational side of the game,
relationships just look different now as a coach. But it’s his relationships
around the league that make him the coach that he is.
達叔非常享受他的工作，而且做得很好，雖然有時他還是會想念休息室的戰友以及客場
之旅。對於一個善於在球場上建立關係的球員來說，身為教練時或許有些不同，但正因為
他在聯盟中建立的關係，讓他成為屬於自己風格的教練。
“Being able to relate to the guys, winning a championship, and playing with
the best players in the world. Just his street cred and being able to talk to
our players and tell them what is coming, giving them the answers and what it
means to work, I think it’s a big thing to have a coach like that,” Kidd
continued.
Kidd說道：「他和世界上最好的球員們一起打過球，和這些球員相處過並贏過總冠軍，他
的聲譽讓他可以與我們的球員進行良好的溝通，告訴他們解答以及這麼做的意義是什麼，
球隊裡有一個這樣的教練對我們的幫助很大。」
And Kidd is 100 percent correct. When talking with players on the team,
having someone like Dudley who can relate to them at their level has been a
key part of the season. Reggie Bullock told me about getting drafted to the
Clippers and spending time behind Dudley in the rotation. The professionalism
and work he saw Dudley put in every day has led to the trust Bullock has in
Dudley coaching him defensively.
Maxi Kleber spends time with Dudley before every game going over video and
said that Dudley helps him “read situations better and make adjustments for
the next game.” For Dorian Finney-Smith, it’s about the details Dudley can
recognize having just played the game. But it all comes down to the
connection that Dudley has with the players.
而Kidd是對的，當我和球員們聊過，發現有個教練能像達叔一樣，是這季的一大關鍵，
Bullock告訴我，當年他被快艇選中時，在球隊中看過達叔的職業態度及努力，讓他願意
被達叔指導防守，Kleber則說他會在每場比賽前和達叔研究影片，讓他更加懂得閱讀場上
的情況以及協助他場間的調整。對DFS來說，達叔知道場上許多細節，因為他和這些球員
們一起打過。
“What he sees out there on the floor is just like us as players,” Tim
Hardaway Jr. said. “We can relate to him. He does a great job talking to us
on the bench. Just his role and presence plays a huge role in our success.”
THJ說：「達叔在場上看到的東西跟球員很像，而且和我們有著非常良好的溝通，所以
我們都願意相信他，對於我們的成功他扮演非常重要的角色。」
Jalen Brunson added, “I’ve talked to JD a little bit about the transition
from a player to a coach. Coaching might be something in my future. I think
the transition he is going through will help me. Just watching him from that
aspect, how he is connected with the guys. He is someone we can all look
towards because he has been through the fire.”
Brunson補充：「我和達叔稍微聊過一些從球員轉職成教練的過程，未來我或許也有機會
執教，觀察他如何與這些人相處對我很有幫助，他是一個我們可以期待的人因為這些他都
曾經歷過。」
Dudley went through that fire for 14 years, but he always knew coaching would
be the endgame. His goal was to play one more year and then get into
coaching. It just came a little faster than he thought. And when the
opportunity arose for him to join the Mavs in a front-of-the-bench role
alongside Jason Kidd, he couldn’t pass it up.
達叔在球場上奮鬥了14年，他始終認為他會成為教練，本來他的目標是再打一年，雖然計
劃稍微提前，但當Kidd提供他這個機會時他實在無法拒絕。
Most assistants scout 10-15 games in a season. Dudley is scouting 29 games
this season and, in his mind, it’s basically two seasons of scouting under
his belt and two steps closer to being a head coach one day. At this moment,
he is gathering his own infinity gauntlet with stones coming from coaches of
his past. He took the motivation stone from Doc Rivers and the Xs & Os stone
from Ty Lue. Last year, he took the defensive stone from Frank Vogel.
大部分的助教一年會研究10-15場比賽，但達叔今年已經研究了29場，但他認為，他做的這
些都會讓他離NBA總教練更進一步，現在他手上已經有許多從以前的教練那蒐集而來的寶石
，包括老河的雞湯寶石，扣取盧的戰術寶石以及從Vogel的防守寶石。
“You take a little bit of everything,” Dudley said. “I think what will
separate me from a lot of these coaches is the communication. If I can look
LeBron in the face and tell him he’s messing up and play better and call him
out, then I can call anyone out. There is a certain way you must do it. It is
a unique thing not all coaches have. I have hung out with 19-year-old
Giannis, 20-year-old Booker…Nash 38, Shaq 37. I have range on how to talk to
someone.”
達叔說：「我在每件事上都能學會一些東西，我與許多教練最大的不同就是溝通能力，我
曾經當面指正LBJ代表我能指正所有球員，這不是每個教練都能做到的，我曾與19歲的字母
、20歲的書人、38歲的老納以及37歲的Shaq相處過，我非常了解如何跟各種不同世代的球
員溝通。」
It is the relationships that mean more now than ever. When Spencer Dinwiddie
was traded to the Dallas Mavericks, it was Jared Dudley that spent the time
with him upon arrival. When opposing players come out of the tunnel for their
pregame routine, it’s Dudley that many of them are dapping up and spending
time with on the court. And he recognizes that relationships are what leads
to player movement. “It’s a player’s league,” Dudley said. “If they don’
t like the coach or situation, they aren’t going.”
當丁丁來到達拉斯時，達叔花了很多時間認識他，當敵方球員從球員通道中出來進行賽前
練習時，達叔會和大部分的人擊拳並和他們聊天，因為他知道每段關係都會影響球員的行
動，「這是個球員的聯盟，如果球員不喜歡教練或是當下的情況，他就不會進步。」
So, what is Dudley, through his relationships, hearing from around the league
on what Dallas is building?
所以，透過這些關係，達叔知道達拉斯在打造什麼嗎？
“They love the city,” Dudley said. “Most people believe Luka is top-five.
Some people either love Mark Cuban or don’t get him. Half and half on that.
I think that there is a lot of potential. Them doing Kidd and Nico was a
power move. Nico has been offered many jobs in front offices. I think that is
huge. It is not a matter of how, but when. Once we get those meetings, it
will be hard to turn this down.”
And make no mistake about it, Jared Dudley is part of “this” now.
「他們愛這座城市，大部分的人相信Luka是前五好的球員，雖然有些人喜歡Cuban有些人不
喜歡，大概一半一半，但我認為這是非常有潛力的地方，找來Kidd和Nico是很強的一步棋
，Nico從很多球隊那得到offer，那是很了不起的，無論何時何地接到他的邀請，都會讓人
難以拒絕。」
毫無疑問的，達叔也是這個計畫的一份子了。