New San Antonio Spurs middle Luke Kornet has revealed the intelligent cause behind his jersey quantity alternative, and it’s all about honoring franchise icon Tim Duncan.
Kornet, who signed a four-year, $41 million cope with the Spurs final week, will put on No. 7 in San Antonio after rocking No. 40 with the Boston Celtics since 2022.
When requested in regards to the swap, the 29-year-old defined his thought course of in a approach that had the room laughing.
“I’ve by no means worn the quantity earlier than,” Kornet stated. “Actually for me, I really feel like I’m in a time of life the place me and my household, seven is an enormous variety of covenant and success and order and the religion. That’s form of what known as me to it. The secondary cause 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 huge man Luke Kornet cracks that he selected #7 as a result of he needs 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 huge 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 sport 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 applicable place for the final a number of years. Grateful for all the chance that it was. However I simply form 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 things we’d hope for and felt peaceable in it.”
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