2020年经济学人 篮球巨星科比·布莱恩特(2)

He perfected his own works of art: the jab-step-and-pause, using unexpected footwork to pass the defender¹, and the fadeaway, shooting while he jumped high and backwards² from the basket. For 20 seasons, a very long time to stay with one team, he played as a shooting guard for the Los Angeles Lakers. With them he won five NBA championship rings and was most valuable player in two finals.

科比完善了自己的艺术：猛冲-脚步-停顿，用出人意料的步法越过防守者，还有后仰投篮，投篮时他向后跳得很高。 他为一个球队效力长达20个赛季，在洛杉矶湖人队担任得分后卫。与他们一起，他赢得了五次NBA总冠军戒指，并在两次总决赛中成为最有价值球员。

His 81 points at home against Toronto, in 2006, was the second-highest individual score recorded in league history. By the time he retired³ he had the third-highest points total, 33,643, overtaken only days ago by the game's present leading star, LeBron James. His own stardom brought him in a salary of around $30m a year, allowing him to dress in Gucci and to keep house in a gated community in Newport Beach, California.

科比在2006年主场对阵多伦多猛龙的比赛中得到81分，是联盟历史上个人得分第二高的记录。退役时，科比的总得分为33,643分，位居历史第三。而就在几天前，这项运动的当今领军人物勒布朗·詹姆斯刚刚超越了他。科比自己的明星身份给他带来了3000万美元的年薪，他可以穿古驰，并在加州新港海滩的一个封闭社区里拥有房产。

It also brought sponsorship deals, such as the one with Nike, whom he asked to design shoes with heels and midsoles that could shave precious hundredths of seconds off his reaction time. For he didn't care so much about money, points, or the fans' applause; they could turn against him anyway, as they did after he was accused in 2003 of sexually assaulting a woman in Colorado, a case dropped but never cleared up.

它还带来了赞助协议，比如与耐克的赞助协议，他请耐克设计有鞋后跟和中底的鞋子，这样可以节省宝贵的百分之一秒的反应时间。因为他不太在乎钱、分数或球迷的掌声；无论如何他们都可能背叛他，2003年，他被指控在科罗拉多州对一名妇女实施性侵犯后，他们就这么做了，但后来这件案子被撤销了，但从未得到澄清。

1 defender   

n.保卫者，拥护者，辩护人

参考例句：

• He shouldered off a defender and shot at goal.他用肩膀挡开防守队员，然后射门。
• The defender argued down the prosecutor at the court.辩护人在法庭上驳倒了起诉人。

2 backwards   

adv.往回地，向原处，倒，相反，前后倒置地

参考例句：

• He turned on the light and began to pace backwards and forwards.他打开电灯并开始走来走去。
• All the girls fell over backwards to get the party ready.姑娘们迫不及待地为聚会做准备。

3 retired   

adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的

参考例句：

• The old man retired to the country for rest.这位老人下乡休息去了。
• Many retired people take up gardening as a hobby.许多退休的人都以从事园艺为嗜好。