By Jeff McDonald, Staff Writer | San Antonio Express-News (SAEN), 2025-10-01 15:30:07
由生成式人工智能翻译，译文内容可能不准确或不完整，以原文为准。
2025年9月29日，在德克萨斯州圣安东尼奥的胜利资本表演中心，维克托·文班亚马 (Victor Wembanyama) 在圣安东尼奥马刺队的媒体日上拍摄宣传照。文班亚马已获得球队医疗组的许可，可以出战即将到来的新赛季。
对于卢克·科内特 (Luke Kornet) 来说，课程早在他今年夏天初到圣安东尼奥后不久就开始了。
这位前波士顿凯尔特人球员与维克托·文班亚马和马刺队签下了一份为期四年、价值4100万美元的自由球员合同，他觉得学点法语或许是个不错的主意。
公平地说，这位德州土生土长的替补中锋在这方面的进展一直很缓慢。
“Oui (是的)，”科内特说道，展示着他声称自己唯一会说的法语词汇。
照这个速度，科内特可能要到常规赛揭幕战才能学会说“bonjour (你好)”。
与此同时，马刺队依然相信，他们的新援将能毫无障碍地通过篮球这项“世界通用语言”与球队的当家球星建立联系。
俱乐部之所以追求科内特，是希望让文班亚马在场上打得更轻松，并在当这位全明星中锋下场休息时，让场上其他所有人的日子也好过一些。
身高7英尺2英寸、现年30岁的科内特，是身高7英尺4英寸的文班亚马在NBA拥有过的最高的队友。
“有趣之处在于，这支球队的面貌将与我来之前的一年有所不同，”在达拉斯郊外长大的科内特说。“每年都是一个全新的局面。我期待着与这群队友一起，找到最佳的比赛方式。”
2025年9月29日，周一，在圣安东尼奥，圣安东尼奥马刺队中锋卢克·科内特在球队的NBA篮球媒体日上摆姿势拍照。(美联社照片/达伦·阿贝特)
训练营开始两天后，科内特便毫不迟疑地展示了他能为球队带来的、上赛季圣安东尼奥所不具备的活力。
“一名传统中锋，”前锋朱利安·尚佩尼 (Julian Champagnie) 说道。
“这正是我们去年所欠缺的，”替补后卫乔丹·麦克劳克林 (Jordan McLaughlin) 说。“我们需要更多的尺寸和篮板能力。”
上赛季，在文班亚马出战的46场比赛、场均33.2分钟的上场时间里，马刺拥有联盟最顶尖的防守阵容之一。
而在文班亚马休息或因伤缺阵的时间里，马刺的防守却是联盟垫底水平。
这种天壤之别，正是马刺管理层在今年休赛期着力解决的问题。总经理布莱恩·莱特 (Brian Wright) 出手为文班亚马寻来了援兵，签下了科内特，并与华盛顿奇才交易得到了身高6英尺11英寸、辗转多队的老将凯利·奥利尼克 (Kelly Olynyk)。
“我们希望阵容具备这种灵活性，能够以多种不同方式打球，同时在维克（文班亚马）不在场时也能保护好禁区，”莱特说。“我认为这两位球员能帮助我们实现这一点。”
作为一名征战NBA八个赛季的老将，科内特此前的四个半赛季都在波士顿度过，并于2024年随队夺得NBA总冠军。
他在凯尔特人队主要担任一名高水平的替补，上赛季场均出战18.6分钟，贡献6分、5.3个篮板和1次盖帽。
2017年，科内特从范德堡大学毕业后参加选秀但未被选中，在最终于波士顿找到自己的长期定位之前，他曾效力于纽约、芝加哥和密尔沃基。
在波士顿扎根之后，科内特承认他仍在适应圣安东尼奥的新生活。
“重新开始的感觉有点奇怪，不仅对我自己，对我的家人也是如此，”他说。“适应过程有很多层面需要克服，但这里的每个人都非常友善、热情和好客。”
在波士顿，科内特的贡献远不止数据统计所能体现。他一直以来都是NBA最出色的护筐手之一，同时也是一名顶级的掩护者和进攻篮板好手。
除了为文班亚马提供轮换休息，科内特还自信他能与马刺的头号球星一同在双塔阵容中发挥出色。他曾在凯尔特人队与身高7英尺2英寸的克里斯塔普斯·波尔津吉斯 (Kristaps Porzingis) 搭档，扮演过类似的角色。
“我认为拥有两名护筐手能提供极大的灵活性，让对手的进攻变得非常困难，”科内特说。“然后，在进攻端如何将我们最好地融合在一起，也将是一个有趣的探索过程。”
科内特和奥利尼克是主教练米奇·约翰逊 (Mitch Johnson) 工具箱里两种不同类型的武器。
现年34岁的奥利尼克即将迎来他在联盟的第13个赛季，因春季接受了脚跟手术，他目前仍在康复中，尚未参加训练营的合练。
一旦恢复状态，奥利尼克预计将成为马刺替补席上的一名空间型大个子。上赛季，他先后效力于多伦多和新奥尔良，在出战的44场比赛中，三分球命中率高达41.8%。
2025年9月29日，周一，在圣安东尼奥，圣安东尼奥马刺队中锋凯利·奥利尼克在球队的NBA篮球媒体日上摆姿势拍照。(美联社照片/达伦·阿贝特)
“他们技术特点的多样性和全面性，对我们的团队是一种补充，”约翰逊说。“我们认为这两名球员能够真正完善我们的阵容和轮换。”
科内特已经赢得了文班亚马的赞赏。上赛季，每当自己下场休息，眼睁睁看着对手在篮下上演“上篮秀”，文班亚马早已对此感到厌倦。
随着科内特的加盟，马刺终于可以为文班亚马——这位连续两年的NBA盖帽王——配备上另一位顶级的护筐手。
“无论他是否在场，或者我是否在场，我们都将拥有联盟最顶级的禁区保护能力之一，”文班亚马说。
对于这一点，科内特甚至可以用法语来确认。
Oui.
Victor Wembanyama poses for promotional photos during the San Antonio Spurs media day at the Victory Capital Performance Center in San Antonio, Texas on September 29, 2025. Wembanyama has been cleared by the team’s medical staff to play for the upcoming season.
Victor Wembanyama speaks to journalists during the San Antonio Spurs media day at the Victory Capital Performance Center in San Antonio, Texas on September 29, 2025. Wembanyama has been cleared by the team’s medical staff to play for the upcoming season.
点击查看原文：How, at last, Spurs gave Victor Wembanyama backup
How, at last, Spurs gave Victor Wembanyama backup
Victor Wembanyama poses for promotional photos during the San Antonio Spurs media day at the Victory Capital Performance Center in San Antonio, Texas on September 29, 2025. Wembanyama has been cleared by the team’s medical staff to play for the upcoming season.
For Luke Kornet, the lessons began not long after he first arrived in San Antonio this summer.
Having signed a four-year, $41-million free agent contract to join Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs, the former Boston Celtic thought it might be a good idea to learn a bit of French.
It is fair to say the progress on that front has been slow for the Texas-bred backup center.
“Oui,” Kornet said, demonstrating the only French phrase he claims to know.
At this rate, Kornet might get around to “bonjour” by opening night.
The Spurs, meanwhile, remain confident their newest addition will have no problems connecting with their franchise player over the lingua franca of basketball.
The club pursued Kornet in hopes of making life easier for Wembanyama and making life easier for everyone else on the court when the All-Star center is on the bench.
At 7-foot-2, the 30-year-old Kornet is the tallest teammate the 7-4 Wembanyama has had in the NBA.
“The fun part about it is that it’s going to look different than it was a year before me,” said Kornet, who grew up outside of Dallas. “Every single year is a new situation. I’m looking forward to figuring out the optimal way (to play) with this group.”
San Antonio Spurs center Luke Kornet poses during the NBA basketball team’s media day in San Antonio, Monday, Sept. 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Darren Abate)
Two days into training camp, Kornet has wasted little time illustrating the dynamic he can add that did not exist in San Antonio last season.
“A traditional center,” forward Julian Champagnie said.
“It’s kind of something we lacked last year,” reserve guard Jordan McLaughlin said. “A little bit of size and rebounding.”
In the 33.2 minutes Wembanyama averaged over 46 games last season, the Spurs boasted one of the best defensive units in the NBA.
In the minutes Wembanyama spent either resting or injured, the Spurs had one of the league’s worst defenses.
It is a disconnect the Spurs’ front office set to address this offseason. General manager Brian Wright went out and got Wembanyama some backup, signing Kornet and trading with Washington for 6-11 journeyman Kelly Olynyk.
“We wanted to be able to have that roster versatility to play a bunch of different ways and also protect the paint when Vic’s not on the floor,” Wright said. “I think those guys allow us to do that.”
A veteran of eight NBA seasons, Kornet spent the previous 4 ½ with Boston, winning an NBA championship there in 2024.
He served mostly as a high-level backup with the Celtics, averaging six points, 5.3 rebounds and a block in 18.6 minutes per game last season.
Undrafted out of Vanderbilt in 2017, Kornet spent time with New York, Chicago and Milwaukee before finding his long-term niche in Boston.
After putting down roots in Beantown, Kornet admits he is still adjusting to his new life in San Antonio.
“It’s weird kind of just starting over again, not only for myself but my family,” he said. “There’s a lot of layers of working through it, but everyone’s been very charitable, kind and welcoming.”
In Boston, Kornet’s contributions went beyond the box score. Kornet has consistently ranked as one of the best rim defenders in the NBA, as well as an ace screen-setter and offensive rebounder.
In addition to spelling Wembanyama, Kornet is confident he can thrive in occasional two-big lineups alongside the Spurs’ best player. He filled a similar role at times with the Celtics, pairing with the 7-2 Kristaps Porzingis.
“I think having two rim protectors can give you a lot of versatility to make things hard for the teams,” Kornet said. “And then should be a fun time trying to figure out offensively how to best fit that together.
Kornet and Olynyk represent different types of implements added to coach Mitch Johnson’s toolkit.
A 34-year-old entering his 13th season in the league, Olynyk has yet to practice during camp while rehabilitating from heel surgery in the spring.
Once up to speed, Olynyk projects to serve as a floor-spreading big man off the Spurs’ bench. In 44 games last season split between Toronto and New Orleans, he made 41.8% of his 3-point tries.
San Antonio Spurs center Kelly Olynyk poses during the NBA basketball team’s media day in San Antonio, Monday, Sept. 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Darren Abate)
“The variety and versatility of their skill sets is something that complements our group,” Johnson said. “Those were two people we identified that we thought could really round out our lineups and rotations.”
Kornet already has made a fan of Wembanyama, who last season grew weary of watching other teams put on a layup parade every time he hit the bench.
With Kornet in the fold, the Spurs can back up Wembanyama – the NBA’s leading shot-blocker two years running – with another elite rim defender.
“Whether he’s on the court or not or I’m on the court or not, we will have some of the best rim protection in the league,” Wembanyama said.
It is an assertion Kornet can confirm even in French.
Oui.
By Jeff McDonald, Staff Writer, via San Antonio Express-News