Why Former Celtics Center Luke Kornet is Everything Spurs Have Been Missing

Now two preseason games into his San Antonio Spurs tenure, Luke Kornet's rave reviews keep pouring in.

The latest came from a fanbase used to watching Victor Wembanyama run the table in the frontcourt. All said, if the Frenchman's two appearances since his season-ending deep vein thrombosis diagnosis in February are proof, he still will. But now with legitimate help.

“Traditional centers," Julian Champagnie said of what Kornet and Kelly Olynyk, the Spurs' other big man addition, bring to the roster. "Vic’s a unicorn ... Kelly and Luke are talented too, but different styles: setting screens, rolling, facilitating. It’ll open the floor more, create spacing.”

"I think it's going to be a huge advantage for us," Carter Bryant added.

The #Spurs have needed this for an incredibly long time. Luke Kornet is a serious talent. #PorVida https://t.co/PLn9fn3ESz
— Matt Guzman (@mattgzman) October 7, 2025

Kornet signed with the Spurs in free agency on a four-year, $41 million contract — a conscious choice over returning to the Boston Celtics, who confirmed they made the center an offer.

Beyond seeking the thrill of adapting to a new offensive scheme, Kornet saw the potential of a him-and-Wembanyama duo as premiere shot-blockers.

"Having two rim protectors can give you a lot of versatility to make things hard," Kornet said. "It should be a fun time trying to figure it out offensively."

The Spurs have tried to ascertain a winning combination of Wembanyama and a traditional center in the past. Before trading for De'Aaron Fox, the Spurs had Zach Collins playing the role; his eventual departure was proof of underwhelming production.

Through two preseason appearances, Kornet has been more efficient. Against the Guangzhou Loong Lions, Kornet and Wembanyama combined for 25 points on a perfect 9-for-9 shooting. Kornet then logged a near double-double against the Miami Heat with nine points and 11 rebounds.

Johnson, who claimed he'd never seen a taller pick-and-roll duo, is already liking what he sees from Kornet.

"There was always a level of playing Victor with another person," the coach said. "Last year, we just didn't have that as an option a lot of times ... we now finally have that at our disposal."

Sep 29, 2025; San Antonio, TX, USA; San Antonio Spurs center Luke Kornet (7) poses for photos during Media Day at Victory Capital Performance Center in San Antonio. | Scott Wachter-Imagn Images

Wembanyama didn't shy away at the lack of success he found next to Collins in contrast to what he believes his potential is with Kornet. He had a simple explanation for the disparity.

"Maturity, patience, experience," Wembanyama said. "Luke is an experienced player. One of the best shot blockers in the league. And he's a great screener ... I'm excited to spend a lot of minutes with him.

Still, the 21-year-old shouldered part of the blame for the past two seasons.

"I'm sure if I was brought back to two years ago, it would go much better."

Three games stand in the way of the Spurs' regular-season opener against the Dallas Mavericks on Oct. 22. Continuing to shrink their injury report is of utmost priority — until then, the backcourt may, ironically, be a strength over a depleted point guard corps. Second is growing the chemistry between Wembanyama and his new backup.

Victor Wembanyama on why the combo of him and Luke Kornet may work better now than a two-big lineup has in the past for the #Spurs:

"Maturity, patience, experience. I'm sure if I was brought back to two years ago, it would go much better." #PorVida
— Matt Guzman (@mattgzman) October 7, 2025

"The coaching staff has really insisted on recognizing the triggers," Wembanyama said, "and reacting accordingly. We're still working on it, but more and more, we're finding our place in the offense."

After his first preseason contest, Wembanyama learned that his piece of the Spurs' jigsaw puzzle is rather large. He's not the betting type, but money would argue Kornet's is, too.

“With Luke, it’s not even optimism," the center said. "It’s necessity ... we will need to have some of the best rim protection in the league. The best.”