New San Antonio Spurs heart Luke Kornet has revealed the intelligent motive behind his jersey quantity selection, and it’s all about honoring franchise icon Tim Duncan.
Kornet, who signed a four-year, $41 million take care of the Spurs final week, will put on No. 7 in San Antonio after rocking No. 40 with the Boston Celtics since 2022.
When requested concerning the swap, the 29-year-old defined his thought course of in a method that had the room laughing.
“I’ve by no means worn the quantity earlier than,” Kornet stated. “Truthfully for me, I really feel like I’m in a time of life the place me and my household, seven is a giant variety of covenant and success and order and the religion. That’s type of what known as me to it. The secondary motive was I simply hope to be a 3rd of the participant that Tim Duncan was.”
Duncan, in fact, famously wore No. 21 throughout his legendary profession with the Spurs, a quantity retired by the franchise. Kornet’s math checks out: one-third of 21 is seven.
“I like multiples, elements,” Kornet added. “Break all of it down.”
Latest #Spurs massive man Luke Kornet cracks that he selected #7 as a result of he desires to be a 3rd of the participant Tim Duncan was.
Added that he loves multiples & elements. pic.twitter.com/ygvu93g2nE
— Nate Ryan (@nateryansports) July 7, 2025
The 7-foot-2 massive man joins San Antonio after a breakout stint in Boston, the place he averaged 6.0 factors, 5.3 rebounds and 1.0 block per recreation in 73 appearances final season.
“I’m grateful for on a regular basis I had in Boston,” Kornet stated. “I really feel prefer it was a very acceptable place for the final a number of years. Grateful for all the chance that it was. However I simply type of felt led, after which I really feel like all through the method I simply felt like San Antonio was actually the place that had all the pieces we’d hope for and felt peaceable in it.”
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