老球員，新時代

Alex Kennedy　傅婧瑛

Last month，the National Basketball Retired Players Association-an organization that features over 900-plus players and 12 chapters across the United States-announced that Caron Butler would be joining its Board of Directors.The 38-year-old，who officially announced his retirement from the NBA in February of 2018，will serve a three-year term.

上個月，NBA退役球員工會——擁有超過900名球員，在全美擁有12個分部的機構——宣布卡隆·巴特勒加入其理事會。2018年2月宣布退役，現年38歲的巴特勒將開始為期三年的任期。

Recently，the NBRPA has been electing younger，newly-retired individuals like Butler，Jerome ‘Junkyard DogWilliams（45 years old）and Grant Hill（46 years old） to leadership positions.This is no coincidence.These players resonate with todays athletes and theyre instantly recognizable to even the youngest current NBA players.

不久前，NBA退役球員工會選出了像巴特勒，“垃圾狗”杰羅姆·威廉姆斯（45歲）和格蘭特·希爾（46歲）這樣更為年輕，新近退役的管理層。這并不是巧合。這些人可以和現役球員產生共鳴，即便是最年輕的現役球員也能立刻認出他們。

why does that make Butler and Hill valuable to the NBRPA？ Because many former greats feel that todays NBA players simply dont know much about the leagues history and，as a result，fail to acknowledge the needs of retired players.By putting younger retirees on the NBRPAs Board of Directors the hope is that they can strengthen their relationship with current players and get more done，which would ultimately benefit everyone（since，after all，every current player will someday retire）.

為什么這能讓巴特勒和希爾成為NBA退役球員工會中極有價值的成員？因為很多曾經的巨星認為，如今的NBA球員不太了解聯盟的歷史，因此不認可退役球員的需求。而讓更年輕的退役球員進入理事會，退役球員工會希望他們能夠強化與現役球員的關系，完成更多工作，最終讓所有人受益（畢竟，每一個現役球員最終都會退役）。

“For the most part，they arent aware of[how former players paved the way];they think its always been like this，”Kareem Abdul-Jabbar，the NBAs all-time leading scorer，said of todays players.“If they talked to Bill Russell，they would find out that when he first came into the league，therewas a quota for black players on a team-they couldnt have more than one or two back in the‘50s.They dont understand that when the NBA first started，it was segregated.It was like that for three years！They dont have any perspective;I think thats what [the problem]is.The NBA does a good job of trying to educate the young guys.The[rookie]orientation thing that they do，I think that helps.Some of the guys do get to the peint where they know and appreciate [former players].

“最主要的是，他們不知道（過去的球員如何開創道路），他們以為—直都是這樣。”NBA歷史得分王卡里姆·賈巴爾這樣評價現在的球員，“如果和比爾·拉塞爾對話，他們會發現拉塞爾剛進聯盟時，每支球隊的黑人球員是有指標的，1950年代，—支球隊不能擁有超過一兩名黑人球員。他們不知道，NBA剛成立時實行種族隔離。這種情況持續了三年時間！他們完全沒概念。我覺得這就是問題。NBA在教育年輕球員方面做得很好，比如新秀培訓，我覺得這很有裨益，有些人因此開始了解并尊重前輩球員的努力。”

Some guys are aware;thats one reason why I love LeBron[James].Hes aware of what went down…But[many players]are usually surprised by it all.They just dont know.”

“有些人意識到了這就是我喜歡勒布朗（詹姆斯）的一個原因。他知道過去發生過什么……但（很多球員）會因為事實而吃驚，他們不了解過去的事。”

“I dont really thinkthey care[about the past]，”Hall of Famer Earl“The Pearl”Monroe added.“There are some guys who come out to our events and they understand.I remember when LeBron came out，he had a pretty good appreciation for the guys who played before him and the history of the game.Hes always been that way.But now，you have other guys who are 18 years old.19 years old or 20 years oldandthey havent really[learned the history].All they know is[whats taught to them]by their AAU coach.They dont know how the game used to be played.Theres no appreciation for the history of the game.”

“我不覺得他們關心（過去）。”名人堂球員，綽號“黑珍珠”的厄爾·門羅補充道，“有些參加我們活動的人對此深有體會。我記得勒布朗出來時，他很尊敬在他之前的球員和籃球的歷史。他一直都是這樣。但現在，其他18，19，20歲的人，他們不怎么了解歷史。他們知道的，就是AAU教練教給他們的。他們不知道籃球過去是怎么打的，不懂得尊重歷史。”

During All-Star Weekend，several retired players saidits not uncommon for a current NBA player to walk past-or even interactwith-alegend and have no idea whom they just encountered，thinking the former player is just a random fan.

全明星周末期間，幾個退役球員表示，現役球員和傳奇球員互動時，他們完全不知道對方是什么人的情況并不少見。這些現役球員認為對方只是普通球迷。

“They dont know the his-tory，”five-time champion Ron Harper said.“They just dont know.They dont understand it.”

“他們不了解歷史。”五屆NBA總冠軍羅恩·哈珀說，“他們就是不知道，他們不理解。”

“What I hear through the Retired Players Association is that the younger players really have no idea about the past and the history，”Hall of Famer Dave Cowens added.“Yesterday，Caron Butler made the distinction between young baseball players and young basketball players.Young baseball players from，say，the Dominican Republic know who Roger Maris and Willie Mays are.I dontknow if todays young players from Europe know who some of the[legends]are，especially if they played in the‘60s and70s.”

“我在退役球員工會聽到的就是，年輕球員真的不知道過去和歷史。”名人堂球員戴夫·考文斯補充道，“昨天，卡隆·巴特勒明確提出了年輕棒球球員和籃球球員的區別。比如說，來自多米尼加共和國的年輕棒球球員都知道羅杰·馬里斯和威利·梅斯是誰。我不知道現在來自歐洲的年輕球員是否知道過去的傳奇，特別是1960年代，1970年代的傳奇。”

Retirees have viewed this as a lost cause for quite some time，but individuals like Butler are hoping to mend the relationship between past and present players.The two-time All-Star recognized this problem as his playing career was winding down and its what motivated him to get involved with the NBRPA.He believes he can help bring the two groups together.

退役球員視之為長久的難以解決的問題，巴特勒這樣的人希望能夠修補。作為兩屆全明星球員，巴特勒在自己職業生涯進入末期時意識到了這個問題，這也是促使他參與退役球員工會的動力。巴特勒相信自己能將兩個團體團結在一起。

“Listen，thats the main reason Im on this board，”Buffer said.“We have to repair this bridge between the current players and the people who paved the way-the true trailblazers in this game who helped give us this platform that allow us to make millions of dollars while doing something that we love.

“聽著，這是我加入理事會的主要原因。”巴特勒說，“我們必須修復現役球員和開拓道路球員之間的橋梁，后者是這項運動真正的先驅，他們給了我們現在的平臺，讓我們能一邊做自己喜歡的事情，一邊賺幾百萬美元。”

Its worth noting that some retirees dont blame todays players for not knowing much about their predecessors.

值得注意的是，一些退役球員并不因為現役球員不了解前人的歷史而怪罪他們。

“Back when we played，we were probably limited in the respect and reverence that we showed our predecessors”Hall of Fame finalist Sidney Moncrief said.“You cant know everyone.Players come and go.So even though Im a five-time NBA All-Star and two-time Defensive Hayer of the Year-whichis a status that 95 percent of players in the NBA right now will never get to-it doesnt mean todays players should know who I am.That Was solong ago！…I see todays players as very respectful.Andnow，withtodays technology，if they see a guy or hear a guys name，they can pull out their phone really quick and look them up.Thatshappenedtome afewtimeswith players.Theyll pull out their phone and[Google me].Then，theyre saying，‘Oh wow，you did this and that！”But I think its unfair to hold todays players to a standard where we expect them to meet us former players and know all about us on the spot.Time has passed by！That Was 30 to 40 years ago！”

“我們打球的時候，我們對前人的敬意也是有限的。”進入名人堂候選名單的西德尼·蒙克利夫表示，“你不可能知道所有人。球員來來去去，所以就算我五次入選全明星，兩次當選最佳防守球員——這是如今95%的NBA球員做不到的成績——但這也不等于現在的球員應該知道我是誰。那是太久以前的事了！我覺得現在的球員都很有敬意，加上現在的科技，如果他們看到一個人或者聽說了一個人的名字，他們可以掏出手機迅速搜索。這種情況在我身上發生過幾次，他們掏出手機搜了我的名字。然后他們會說，‘哇哦，你做到了這個！我覺得讓現在的球員知道過去球員的一切，這是不公平的。時間過去那么久了！那可是三四十年前的事了！”

“FOR THE MOST PART，THEY ARENT AWARE OF[HOW FORMER PLAYERS PAVED THE WAY]，”KAREEM ABDUL-JABBAR SAID OF TODAYS PLAYERS.“THEY DONT UNDERSTAND THAT WHEN THE NBA FIRST STARTED，IT WAS SEGREGATED.I THINK THATS WHAT[THE PROBLEM]IS.THE NBA DOES A GOOD JOB OF TRYING TO EDUCATE THE YOUNG GUYS.THE[ROOKIE]ORIENTATION THING THAT THEY DO，I THINK THAT HELPS.SOME OF THE GUYS DO GET TO THE P0INT WHERE THEY KNOW AND APPRECIATE [FORMER PLAYERS].

“最主要的是，他們不知道（過去的球員如何開創道路）。”卡里姆·賈巴爾這樣評價現在的球員，“他們不知道，NBA剛成立時實行種族隔離。我覺得這就是問題。NBA在教育年輕球員方面做得很好，比如新秀培訓，我覺得這很有裨益，有些人因此開始了解并尊重前輩球員的努力。”

Even if todays players dont have the best grasp of NBA history，they deserve credit for making some big changes that have benefited retired players in recent years.

即便如今的球員不完全了解NBA歷史，但近年來他們讓退役球員獲益的努力，仍然值得贊許。

In 2017，player representatives from the National Basketball Players Association unanimously voted to fund health insurance for retired players and their family members.Anyone with at least three years of NBA experience received coverage for themselves and their relatives.This is something that retired players had askedf for since the 1990s，yet it wasnt passed until this current group of players voted it through two years ago.

2017年，NBA球員工會代表投票一致通過了為退役球員及其家人設立健康保險的提案。任何在NBA有至少三年效力經歷的球員及其親屬都能得到保障。這是退役球員從1990年代就開始爭取的權利，但直到兩年前現役球員投票才得到通過。

“For along time，we had been pushing for health insurance for our retired players.Before，once a player left the game，their health insurance was taken away，”NBRPA Chairman of the Board Spencer Haywood explained.“A lot of our guys were having to work [in retirement]to make ends meet and keep their health insurance.Then， I spoke to LeBron James，Stephen Curry，Dwyane Wade，Kevin Durant，Chris Paul and the rest of the National Basketball PlayersAssociations Executive Board and they said，‘Hey，we can help you guys out.Well get you some health insurance.I thought [the coverage] would be something simple.But instead.theyre dropping over $15million per year to get us the same health insurance they have.I was just like，‘Wow”

“我們在很長一段時間里都在推動退役球員的健康保險。過去，一個球員離開聯盟，他們的健康保險就會停止。”退役球員工會理事會主席斯賓塞·海伍德解釋道，“很多人需要在退役后繼續工作才能繼續生活，擁有健康保險。但我和勒布朗·詹姆斯，斯蒂芬·庫里，德維恩·韋德，凱文·杜蘭特，克里斯·保羅以及球員工會執委會其他成員進行了交流，他們說，‘嘿，我們能幫忙，我們給你們搞定保險。我以為保險會是簡單的事，但他們每年投入1500萬美元，讓我們擁有和他們一樣的保險。我心想，哇。”

Retired players have plenty of lessons that they can pass on totodays players.Going forward，the NBRPA would love to create more conversations between former players and active players because it would benefit both parties.Butler has suggested carving out time for retired players to meet with current players during the season as well as during events like the Rookie Transition Program.

退役球員有很多可以傳授給現役球員的經驗。未來，退役球員工會愿意在前球員和現役球員間進行更多的對話，這可以讓雙方受益。巴特勒建議退役球員抽時間在賽季期間與球員見面，比如在新秀培訓項目。

“You dont want it to be a situation where the older guys are constantly telling the young guys what to do because thats not going to fly，”Butler explained.“But they can help them，and they have a connection because theyve all gone through the same thing and faced similar adversity.”

“當然不想遇到老年人總是在教育年輕人做什么，因為那樣年輕人就不可能起飛。”巴特勒解釋道，“但他們能幫忙，而且他們有共鳴，因為他們經歷過同樣的事情，遇到過同樣的挫折。”

Todays NBA players helped their predecessors get healthcare coverage after no progress was made for two decades.They also volunteered their own money in order to improve pensions.While they may not be as knowledgeable about NBA history as the retirees would like，the current players do seem open to helping where they can.

如今的NBA球員幫助他們的前輩獲得了過去20年無法取得任何進展的保險，他們還自愿用自己的錢提高前輩的養老金。盡管他們對過去的了解沒有達到退役球員希望的程度，但現役球員確實愿意盡可能地幫助對方。

Going forward，the hope is that individuals like Butler and Hill will only be able to further strengthen the relationship between the generations.Then，several years from now，current players like James.Wade and Paul will be retired and can continue their fight for the rights of former players from the other side of the table.

未來，外界希望像巴特勒和希爾這樣的人能夠進一步強化不同時代球員之間的關系。幾年后，像詹姆斯，韋德和保羅這樣的現役球員將會退役，他們也可以繼續在談判桌的另一邊為退役球員爭取更多權利。