Saturday, June 09, 2007

30歲的GM: Sam Presti

Sam Presti

現年僅30歲的Sam Presti,被超音速聘為新任總經理(GM),成為目前NBA最年輕的GM。想想看,30歲而已,掌握一支球隊的未來!他和basketball management扯上關係,可以說是非常離奇:

SEATTLE (AP) -- Sam Presti owes becoming the youngest general manager in the NBA to a homesick teammate at Emerson College.

Eight years ago, Presti, captain of the basketball team at Boston's renowned school for communication and the arts, talked the discouraged player out of quitting and going home to Colorado.

The teammate's father, the superintendent of schools in Aspen, was so appreciative that he invited Presti to coach at a summer basketball camp that happened to be run by R.C. Buford, the general manager of the San Antonio Spurs.

"Fortunately, I somehow endeared myself to them," Presti, now 30, said Thursday of Buford and the Spurs, who entered Thursday four wins from a fourth NBA title since 1999.

很特別的是,Presti屬於非科班出身,在馬刺從實習生作起,在7年內成為助理GM。這固然代表他很幸運,更代表他很努力、很聰明。

By the next summer, Buford had hired Presti as a $250-per-month intern. Seven years later, after establishing himself as a scouting guru and salary cap wizard, San Antonio's former assistant GM is in Seattle.

"Once he was in San Antonio for a month, I think we realized that it was going to be important that we not let him leave," a "crushed" Buford said Thursday from the NBA finals. "Now who knew that seven years later he'd still be with us and continue to grow and turn into one of the outstanding front office talents that I've ever seen, especially when you consider the age."

Presti is currently the league's youngest GM -- but not the youngest in NBA history. A 28-year-old Jerry Colangelo became GM of the expansion Phoenix Suns in 1968.

我也突然想起,多年之前Presti曾經寫過email給我,問及亞洲球員「有沒有什麼prospect」。坦白說,我也忘了我怎麼回答的,反正不是陳信安就是田壘,但他說最好能夠有錄影帶,後來我一忙就沒再聯絡了。

後來陸續從報導中讀到,Presti在馬刺內部和NBA的評價都很高,印象中似乎是New York Times曾經有過一篇介紹他的文章。但怎麼也沒想到,他在30歲就當上了GM。這在GM界,堪稱是「GM中的LeBron James」吧!給予他萬分祝福...