Spurs Give First Look at Victor Wembanyama's Exciting Double Big Lineup

SAN ANTONIO — Luke Kornet isn’t shy about setting a lofty bar.

If he can become even “one third” of the player Tim Duncan was, he’ll consider the mission a success. That’s a tall order for anyone, given Duncan shares company with Kobe Bryant and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as the only players in league history to earn 10 All-Defensive nods.

Still, Kornet isn’t chasing legacies just yet. His first priority is finding his place.

“Every single year is a new situation,” Kornet said this offseason. “I’m looking forward to figuring out the optimal way (to play) with this group.”

Here’s another look at Luke Kornet in #Spurs threads. He’s the latest player with a championship to join the team. #PorVida pic.twitter.com/ugafjjdo6m
— Matt Guzman (@mattgzman) September 29, 2025

Kornet's Fit with Wembanyama

Thursday afternoon, the San Antonio Spurs released footage from training camp containing a few clips of Wembanyama and Kornet. In the first, Wembanyama works his way into the mid range before finding Kornet down low for a layup.

It wasn't spectacular. But it was a healthy change.

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

Clipped some practice footage provided by the Spurs.

You can already see Wemby and Luke Kornet in the same lineup during some of the tape. pic.twitter.com/ywcaDbsNZe
— Paul Garcia (@PaulGarciaNBA) October 2, 2025

Last season, Kornet averaged six points, 5.3 rebounds and 1.6 assists on 67 percent shooting while blocking at least one shot per game for the second straight year. That rim protection, paired with Victor Wembanyama’s, is where San Antonio sees the immediate fit.

“I think having two rim protectors can give you a lot of versatility to make things hard for teams,” Kornet said Tuesday. “It should be a fun time trying to figure it out offensively.”

The Spurs didn’t hide their desire for more size after last year’s struggles. General manager Brian Wright went after it, signing Kornet and trading for veteran Kelly Olynyk. Coach Mitch Johnson welcomed the additions with enthusiasm.

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

“The variety and versatility of their skill sets is something that complements our group,” Johnson said. “They’ve been part of winning programs. They are people who have embraced their roles and really been able to help teams, impact winning.”

Wembanyama, meanwhile, doesn’t see the pairing as a luxury. It's more of a requirement.

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

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