Spurs' Luke Kornet chose fun jersey number to be 'a third of the player Tim Duncan was'

Billy Heyen

Spurs' Luke Kornet chose fun jersey number to be 'a third of the player Tim Duncan was' image

Luke Kornet has been known around the NBA as a funny guy. 

He got to show that humor off in his first meeting with San Antonio reporters after signing a $41 million deal to join the Spurs.

The start of the humor began with Kornet's jersey number choice: 7.

Why is he No. 7 for the Spurs?

He "hoped to be a third of the player Tim Duncan was," Kornet told reporters. Duncan wore No. 21 in his Hall of Fame career.

Kornet added that he "loves multiples, factors." 

Yeah, this guy is a good pickup for the Spurs. The 7-foot-1 center should provide a good combination alongside Victor Wembanyama.

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Kornet most recently played for the Boston Celtics, where he was a fan favorite reserve.

In the Celtics' penultimate playoff game of the season, Kornet shot 5-for-5 from the floor to score 10 points while also grabbing nine rebounds and blocking a ridiculous seven shots.

Kornet will turn 30 on July 15 and should have solid seasons ahead of him.

During the 2024-25 regular season, Kornet averaged 18.6 minutes per game and in that playing time put up 6.0 points, 5.3 rebounds and 1.0 blocks per game.

Kornet has played eight seasons in the NBA, also spending time with the Knicks, Bulls, Cavaliers and Bucks.

And he's now brought his humor to San Antonio.

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Billy Heyen

Billy Heyen is a freelance writer with The Sporting News. He is a 2019 graduate of Syracuse University who has written about many sports and fantasy sports for The Sporting News. Sports reporting work has also appeared in a number of newspapers, including the Sandusky Register and Rochester Democrat & Chronicle