Luke Kornet was a fan favorite during his time with the Boston Celtics. The seven-foot-two-inch big man’s personality is basically unmatched, and he leads the league in good vibes.
Kornet was notorious for his in-game celebrations. Whether it was miming a dove with his hands, rapidly hitting the “dab,” or barking to the crowd, the Texas native knew how to get the fans and his teammates going.
Since joining the San Antonio Spurs as a free agent this summer, Kornet has managed to keep the good times rolling. He’s clearly fit right in with a younger Spurs core, too. Some of Kornet’s teammates showed him some extra love after Wednesday’s NBA Cup win over the Los Angeles Lakers.
Luke Kornet will always be Luke Kornet
Both De’Aaron Fox and Stephon Castle were wearing t-shirts with a photo of Kornet celebrating his game-sealing block against the Orlando Magic last week.
De’Aaron Fox with the Luke Kornet celly shirt on Amazon postgame show!!! Just said they handed them out in the locker room 😂 pic.twitter.com/uiWtWefhiq
— Jacob Tobey (@JacobRTobey) December 11, 2025
LA fashion has reached a new level pic.twitter.com/TgJuCdVqkI
— Jared Weiss (@JaredWeissNBA) December 11, 2025
Boston lost more than just good vibes when Kornet headed to San Antonio, though. Had he stayed with the Cs, he likely would’ve been the team’s starting center after an impressive 2024-25 campaign.
Celtics miss Luke Kornet, but Neemias Queta has stepped up
He averaged 6.0 points, 5.3 rebounds, and a block per game across 73 regular-season appearances for the Celtics last year.
The 30-year-old’s numbers were impressive for a backup, but his impact is felt beyond the statsheet. Kornet just has a great knack for being in the right place at the right time. It’s why he managed to be an effective piece in Boston’s three-point-heavy offense without actively serving as a perimeter threat.
Plus, his strength and size enabled him to be a stout rim protector who carried a strong presence on the glass.
There’s no disputing that the Celtics would’ve loved to keep him, especially after losing both Kristaps Porzingis and Al Horford over the summer. They just didn’t have the financial wiggle room to make it happen.
“We offered both Al and Luke the opportunity to stay, but I think you can see where our contracts were with who we signed that we were going to be handcuffed around the apron a little bit,” Brad Stevens explained at Celtics Media Day. “And I think that is part of the—We knew that there were going to have to be big moves, and then in addition to that, Luke played his way into a great opportunity and great contract, and we couldn't be more thrilled for him… Then now, same thing, we gave Al an offer, but there wasn't any expectation that he wouldn't take a bigger offer elsewhere and go play, because that's his right.”
Thankfully, Neemias Queta has risen to the occasion. Through this first quarter of the season, he's logged one of the league's highest on/off differentials. Queta's discipline and touch around the rim have also improved, enabling him to make the most of his opportunity in the starting lineup.
Meanwhile, Kornet’s making the Spurs feel vindicated in their efforts to poach him from the Cs. He’s playing up to his four-year, $41 million contract and has helped San Antonio weather the storm in the absence of Victor Wembanyama.