By Jared Weiss and Jay King | The Athletic, 2026-01-11 12:00:19
波士顿电 — 在回顾自己波士顿凯尔特人队辉煌生涯的高光时刻时，卢克·科内特 (Luke Kornet) 果不其然地选择了一件搞怪的事。他那些玩世不恭的庆祝动作和喜剧般的自言自语，为他留下了数不清的备选素材。
然而，这位深受队友们喜爱的球员，却选择了一个自己罕见地扮演“黑子”的时刻。
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“那支抹黑德里克·怀特 (Derrick White) 的广告，是我的个人杰作，”科内特在周六重返波士顿，并随圣安东尼奥马刺队以100-95击败凯尔特人队的赛前说道。“那就是我的巅峰时刻了，从那以后基本就是一路下坡。”
怀特对那次“宣传活动”记忆犹新。当被问及与这位前队友最喜欢的时刻时，他只用了一秒钟就做出了回应。
“去他的卢克·科内特！”他笑着说。“他去年搞的那个‘汤米奖’竞选活动真是笑死人了。”
科内特表示，相比于在波士顿的场上表现，他更自豪的是自己的场外“作品”，比如他那个虚构的采访播客。在那档节目里，布拉德·史蒂文斯 (Brad Stevens) 曾试图就他无数的庆祝动作开玩笑，而这些动作引来的笑声远比欢呼声要多。
十分应景的是，球队为他制作的致敬视频里，除了他实际打球的镜头外，几乎囊括了所有这些搞怪瞬间。尽管他的场上表现对个人和球队的成功至关重要，但他将因其他一切而被铭记。而他也欣然接受这一点。
在波士顿的时光，标志着科内特人生进入了一个新阶段。在这里，他的NBA生涯不仅从“或许能立足”变成了“绝对能立足”，更重要的是，当科内特和妻子抵达这座城市时，他的第一个女儿才刚出生两周。离开波士顿不仅仅是职业生涯的下一站，更是他作为一位父亲迈出的全新一步。
他留下了太多令人难忘的瞬间，但怀特和萨姆·豪瑟 (Sam Hauser) 记住的却是他的奋斗历程。他们关注的是他如何在NBA底层摸爬滚打、尝遍艰辛，以及他为扭转职业生涯所付出的努力，这一切都让他们在看到科内特获得丰厚合同时，由衷地为他感到高兴。他们为他感到开心，即便这意味着他要离开并加盟马刺队。
“他是一个用正确方式做事的人。他没有跳过任何一步。Exhibit 10合同、双向合同、G联赛，他在每个级别都打过，”怀特说。“看到这样的人得到回报，拿到他应得的东西，真是太酷了。”
这位大个子与他的前东家之间仍然维系着深厚的感情，一个迹象就是，科内特在周五晚上凯尔特人队战胜多伦多猛龙队的比赛中，就坐在绿军替补席附近观战。杰森·塔图姆 (Jayson Tatum) 走过来给了科内特一个大大的熊抱。在一些暂停期间，还能看到科内特几乎站在场内与凯尔特人队的工作人员聊天。
中场休息时，他熟门熟路地穿过波士顿球员进入更衣室的通道。没有多少球员会以观众的身份观看前东家的比赛，但本赛季他已经这样做了两次。当马刺队客场挑战森林狼队的前一晚，他也在明尼苏达观看了凯尔特人队的比赛。
在周六上午马刺队的投篮训练中，科内特表达了在自由市场选择离开波士顿是一个多么艰难的决定。凯尔特人队曾为他提供了一份留队合同，但由于球队希望将总薪资控制在劳资协议的第二档奢侈税线以下，他们在财政上受到了限制。这些限制让他们失去的不止科内特一人，克里斯塔普斯·波尔津吉斯 (Kristaps Porziņģis)（被交易至亚特兰大老鹰队）和艾尔·霍福德 (Al Horford)（与金州勇士队签约）也在休赛期离队。考虑到这些人员变动，波士顿的前场在本赛季初充满了不确定性，甚至连布拉德·史蒂文斯都表示不知道情况会如何发展。如果科内特回归，他本会扮演一个重要角色。
然而，凯尔特人队不得不寻找其他答案。尽管周六输了球，但他们已经找到了足够多的解法，目前战绩并列东部第二。
内米亚斯·克塔 (Neemias Queta) 很好地顶上了新的首发位置。卢卡·加尔扎 (Luka Garza) 在赛季初的上场时间里表现不尽如人意，但最近他在场时，波士顿的替补席总能压制对手。乔·马祖拉 (Joe Mazzulla) 曾短暂地让约什·米诺特 (Josh Minott) 担任替补中锋并取得了成功，但近期又重新启用了加尔扎，效果显著。泽维尔·蒂尔曼 (Xavier Tillman) 上场不多，但队友们对他在更衣室的影响力以及他随时准备好抓住机会的状态赞不绝口。在11月30日他本赛季唯一一次首发中，他贡献了9分、6个篮板、3次抢断和1次盖帽，帮助凯尔特人队在客场战胜了实力不俗的克利夫兰骑士队。
科内特在波士顿的更衣室里也备受爱戴，至今仍然如此。
“我从没见过他在凯尔特人队有过糟糕的一天，”豪瑟说。“无论他生活中发生了什么，他从不把负面情绪带到球馆里。”
除了在场外为球队做出的所有贡献，科内特在场上的表现也给凯尔特人队的管理层和球员发展部门留下了深刻印象。在来到波士顿之前，他只是一个在NBA边缘挣扎的流浪球员。而在凯尔特人队，他成长为联盟中最出色的替补中锋之一。马刺队在自由市场上追逐他时，清楚地知道他们将得到一位怎样的拼图球员。
“我认为，回顾他职业生涯的开端，他显然是那种必须通过自己努力才能在联盟中赢得轮换位置的球员，”马刺队教练米奇·约翰逊 (Mitch Johnson) 说。“但他在波士顿证明了，在最高水平的舞台上，他能够在自己的角色定位上发光发热，并在场上帮助身边的队友。我觉得在这个联盟里，要找到几乎完全在无球状态下做到这一点的球员，是极其困难的。”
“此外，我认为你也引进了一个风格相似的球员——尽管他与维克托（文班亚马）并非同类球员。但就我们想要的打法而言，我们觉得可以让他们两人同时在场，甚至让他们俩搭档出场，而无需大幅改变我们既定的比赛方式。”
马刺队在比赛收官阶段就采用了后一种思路来对付凯尔特人队。比赛还剩2分50秒时，文班亚马与科内特一同登场，当时圣安东尼奥以88-91落后。在这对巨型前场的带动下，他们打出了一波12-4的攻势终结了比赛。科内特一记势大力沉的补扣拉开了反击的序幕。随后，当波士顿短暂换上自己的大个阵容时，文班亚马在克塔头顶命中一记跳投；当凯尔特人队换上小个阵容后，他又在贝勒·谢尔曼 (Baylor Scheierman) 面前再中一球。文班亚马这两记关键跳投几乎锁定了胜局。
“你只能尽力让他打得艰难，但说到底，他有7尺7寸高，他总能在你头顶投篮，”谢尔曼说。“你真的无能为力，所以你只能试着给他施压，让他打得不舒服，然后祈祷他投不进。”
这次进攻的关键在于科内特所在的“法式香草”阵容，他在低位的存在迫使凯尔特人队用身高较矮的谢尔曼去防守文班亚马，而不是7英尺高的克塔。有时候，科内特仅仅是扮演好自己的角色，就能为球队带来不同。
“他就是那么无私，从不考虑自己，他会尽其所能地帮助球队，”怀特说。“就算他全场0分0篮板，只要能帮助球队赢球，他就会很开心。”
而当他真正打出亮眼表现时，科内特内心的“表演家”就会显露出来。
他的前队友们在远方兴高采烈地观看了这段高光集锦。即使科内特身披另一支球队的战袍，他们也情不自禁地为看到朋友在NBA继续享受他的精彩人生而感到高兴。
“他好像一直在吼，吼个不停，然后他停了下来，队友们开始围住他，于是他又接着吼了起来，”豪瑟说。“那场面太棒了。”
他的新队友们也同样喜欢这一幕。那个场面后来被印成了一件T恤，由米奇·约翰逊和装备经理科里·约翰逊 (Cory Johnson) 分发给了马刺队员们。在NBA杯战胜洛杉矶湖人队后，球员们穿着这件T恤出席了赛后新闻发布会。
洛杉矶的时尚达到了新高度 pic.twitter.com/TgJuCdVqkI
— Jared Weiss (@JaredWeissNBA) 2025年12月11日
队里没有人比朱利安·尚帕尼 (Julian Champagnie) 更珍惜这件T恤了。在那个回合中，防守弗朗茨·瓦格纳 (Franz Wagner) 上篮的正是他，他起跳早了，差点就送给对手一个足以制胜的空位上篮。就在那时，科内特出现了。
“说实话，我真的穿着它睡过觉，”尚帕尼说。“他那个盖帽简直是救了我的命。”
这大概就是科内特的风格。他在球队低迷时挺身而出，在队友犯错时站出来打出正确的战术。他或许不常是那个送出关键制胜封盖的人，但他总是那个传出正确一球、讲出恰当笑话、无论如何每天都带着同样能量出现的人。
“我真的非常感激在这里的时光，”科内特说，“也感谢上帝在我人生中为我和我的家人安排了这样一个地方。”
他曾是凯尔特人队迈向更高层次、赢得总冠军所需要的一部分。而马刺队也很快认识到了同样的事情。
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。
点击查看原文：Luke Kornet's Boston homecoming shows why he's beloved by his teams, new and old
Luke Kornet’s Boston homecoming shows why he’s beloved by his teams, new and old
BOSTON — Reflecting on the high point of his illustrious Boston Celtics career, Luke Kornet, of course, picked something goofy. All those irreverent celebrations and comical soliloquies left no shortage of options.
However, the man universally beloved by his teammates chose a rare moment when he was a hater.
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“The Derrick White slander ad, that was my opus,” Kornet said Saturday before his San Antonio Spurs beat the Celtics 100-95 in his return to Boston. “That was the high point. It was mostly all downhill from there.”
White remembers the campaign well. When asked to pick his favorite moment with his former teammate, he only needed a second to respond.
“F— Luke Kornet!” he said with a laugh. “The Tommy Award campaign he had last year was hilarious.”
Kornet said he was more proud of his off-court content than on-court content in Boston, like his fake interview podcast where Brad Stevens tried to crack jokes on his countless celebrations that elicited more laughs than cheers.
It was fitting that his tribute video featured almost everything but him actually playing. Though his play was important to his and the team’s success, he’ll be remembered for everything else. He embraces that.
Kornet’s time in Boston is a measure of a new phase in his life. It wasn’t just that his NBA career transformed from a “maybe” to a “definitely” in the city. His first daughter was just 2 weeks old when Kornet and his wife arrived in town. Leaving Boston wasn’t just about the next stop in his career; it was a novel step for himself as a father.
He’s left so many unforgettable moments in his wake, but White and Sam Hauser remembered him for his journey. They focused on how he has seen every aspect of the bottom in the NBA, and the effort he put into turning his career into something made them all the happier to see him get rewarded with a payday. They were happy for him, even if it meant he was leaving to join the Spurs.
“He was someone who did it the right way. He didn’t skip any steps. Exhibit 10, two-way, G League, he’s done it at every level,” White said. “It’s dope to see someone like that get rewarded and get what he deserves.”
As a sign of the bond that still exists between the big man and his former organization, Kornet watched Boston’s win Friday night against the Toronto Raptors from a seat near the Celtics’ bench. Jayson Tatum walked over to wrap Kornet in a big bear hug. During some timeouts, Kornet could be seen standing nearly on the court chatting with Celtics staff.
At halftime, he ducked through the tunnel that Boston players use to reach the locker room. Not many players take in their former team’s games as spectators, but he has done so twice this season. He also watched the Celtics in Minnesota when the Spurs were in town to play the Timberwolves the following night.
During the Spurs’ shootaround Saturday morning, Kornet expressed how difficult a decision it was to leave Boston in free agency. The Celtics extended him an offer to stay but were financially limited by their desire to get under the collective bargaining agreement’s second apron. Those limitations cost them more than Kornet, with Kristaps Porziņģis (traded to the Atlanta Hawks) and Al Horford (signed with the Golden State Warriors) also lost during the offseason. Given the departures, the Boston frontcourt was such a question mark entering the season that even Brad Stevens said he didn’t know how it would play out. Kornet would have played a big role if he had returned.
Instead, the Celtics needed to find other answers. Despite Saturday’s loss, they have uncovered enough to sit in a tie for second place in the Eastern Conference.
Neemias Queta has stepped in well as the new starter. Luka Garza’s minutes didn’t always go well early in the campaign, but the Boston bench has throttled teams lately with him on the court. Joe Mazzulla briefly used Josh Minott as the backup center and found success with that look, but has returned to Garza at that spot lately to great effect. Xavier Tillman hasn’t played much, but teammates rave about his locker-room impact and how he always seems to be ready when given a chance. In his only start of the season, on Nov. 30, he contributed nine points, six rebounds, three steals and a block while the Celtics earned a quality road win against the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Kornet was also loved in the Boston locker room. He still is.
“I never saw him have a bad day as a Celtic,” Hauser said. “No matter what was going on in his life, he never brought it to the gym.”
On top of everything he contributed to the organization off the court, Kornet left the Celtics as a big hit on the court for the team’s front office and player development staff. Before landing in Boston, he was a journeyman on the fringes of the NBA. With the Celtics, he emerged as one of the league’s best backup centers. The Spurs knew what type of complementary piece they would get when they pursued him in free agency.
“I think he had been a guy that, going back to the start of his career, obviously had to earn his way in this league to be a rotation player,” said Spurs coach Mitch Johnson. “But he proved (in Boston), obviously at the highest level, that he could star in his role and help the players around him on the court. I think it’s really hard to find guys in this league to do that almost exclusively at times without the basketball.
“And then I think you also brought in (someone with) a similar style — even though he’s not a similar player, so to speak, as Victor (Wembanyama). But how we wanted to play, we felt like we could play with them both and then potentially them actually both together and not necessarily change the lion’s share of how we wanted to play.”
The Spurs turned to the latter idea to close out the Celtics. With 2:50 left, Wembanyama checked in alongside Kornet with San Antonio trailing 91-88. They finished the game on a 12-4 run sparked by the supersized frontcourt. Kornet slammed home a putback dunk to start the surge. Later, Wembanyama splashed home a jumper over Queta when Boston briefly turned to a big lineup of its own, then sank another one over Baylor Scheierman when the Celtics went smaller. Wembanyama’s two clutch jumpers all but sealed the game.
“It’s just like you try to make it as tough as possible, but at the end of the day, he’s 7-7, so he’s going to shoot over you,” said Scheierman. “There’s not really anything you can do, so you kind of just try to pressure him and make him uncomfortable and pray he misses a shot.”
Key to that play was Kornet in the French Vanilla lineup, whose presence down low forced the Celtics to put the shorter Scheierman on Wembanyama instead of the 7-foot Queta. Sometimes, Kornet merely filling his role for the team makes the difference.
“He’s just selfless, doesn’t care about himself, and he’s gonna do whatever he can to help the team,” White said. “He will have zero points, zero rebounds; he’ll help the team win and he’s happy.”
When he actually makes a big impact, the showman in Kornet emerges.
His former teammates watched the highlight reel with glee from afar. Even with Kornet in another jersey, they couldn’t help but love seeing their friend continue to live his best life in the NBA.
“It just seemed like he kept yelling and yelling, then he stopped and people started swarming him, so just kept yelling again,” Hauser said. ”That was great.”
His new teammates are loving it just as much. That spectacle turned into a T-shirt that was distributed to the Spurs thanks to Mitch Johnson and equipment manager Cory Johnson, as players wore it out to their post-game press conferences after an NBA Cup win against the Los Angeles Lakers.
LA fashion has reached a new level pic.twitter.com/TgJuCdVqkI
— Jared Weiss (@ JaredWeissNBA) December 11, 2025
Nobody on the team cherished the shirt quite like Julian Champagnie. He was the one guarding Franz Wagner on the layup attempt, jumping too early and giving up what could have been an open layup for the win. Then, Kornet arrived.
“I’m not gonna lie, I definitely did wear it to sleep,” Champagnie said. “He saved my ass when he blocked it.”
That’s kind of what Kornet does. He holds the team up when it’s down. He steps in and makes the right play when a teammate falters. He is rarely the one making the big, game-saving block. He’s the one making the right pass, telling the right joke, showing up with the same energy every day, no matter what.
“I’m really just grateful for my time here,” Kornet said, “and grateful to God for that place in my life for me and my family.”
It was a part of what the Celtics needed to get to the next level and win a championship. The Spurs have quickly learned the same.
By Jared Weiss and Jay King, via The Athletic