Luke Kornet made his main roster debut on Thursday, Feb. 8. The G League standout was nothing short of sensational for the New York Knicks.
The New York Knicks will have an impossible time attempting to replace Kristaps Porzingis. Porzingis has earned the nickname of The Unicorn as a truly unique individual, pairing size, athleticism, shooting ability, and defense in an unprecedented manner.
While Porzingis may be out of the question, the Knicks received an encouraging performance from a debuting big who could one day play alongside him.
With Porzingis out for the season, New York called up versatile big man Luke Kornet from the NBA G League for Thursday’s game against the Toronto Raptors. Kornet signed a two-way contract with the Knicks during the 2017 offseason, but hadn’t yet appeared on the main roster.
In the first game of his NBA career, Kornet stuffed the stat sheet in what can only be described as a memorable debut.
Luke Kornet blocks a 4th shot, which means he becomes the first and only player in NBA history at least 4 blocks and three 3-pointers in his first career game.
— Tommy Beer (@TommyBeer) February 9, 2018
He also had 11 points and 10 boards. He’s the first Knick rookie w/ a double-double in debut since John Wallace in 1996
Kornet finished the Knicks’ 113-88 loss to the Toronto Raptors with 11 points, 10 rebounds, and four blocks in just 22 minutes of action. He shot 4-of-9 from the field and 3-of-7 from beyond the arc, flashing the range that makes him such an intriguing player.
Not many 7’0″ bigs can both convert the three-ball and block shots, but Kornet’s track record suggests this wasn’t a flash in the pan.
Kornet has spent the 2017-18 season in the G League with the Westchester Knicks, where he’s produced an encouraging 32 games of action. Thus far, Kornet is averaging 15.9 points, 6.2 rebounds, 2.4 assists 1.5 blocks, and 2.6 three-point field goals made per game.
Considering he’s doing so on an efficient slash line of .484/.441/.800, it’s safe to say that Kornet can at least thrive in the G League environment.
It’s worth noting that Kornet holds the NCAA record for three-point field goals made by a player who stands 7’0″ or taller. He’s also Vanderbilt’s all-time leading shot-blocker, which helped him earn a pair of SEC All-Defensive Team appearances.
Thus, the early success he’s experienced as an offensive sharpshooter and defensive shot-blocker shouldn’t come as much of a surprise.
The hope in New York is that Kornet can step up as a potential backup or complement to Porzingis. Having two 7’0″ sharpshooters on the floor would be an almost unparalleled advantage, and the fact that both players can redirect shots at the rim only strengthens the appeal.
Even if they weren’t sharing the floor, backing up a 7’3″ Unicorn with a 7’0″ anomaly would create a unique measure of continuity.
Must Read: Five reasons to love the Emmanuel Mudiay trade
It’s only been one game, but Luke Kornet’s New York Knicks debut was strong enough to warrant an early measure of optimism.