Despite not being one of the 60 players selected in the 2017 NBA Draft, Luke Kornet did not have to wait long to join an NBA team. As Kornet detailed in his first Journal Entry, he was getting calls from teams and the New York Knicks ultimately offered him a two-way contract.
Kornet had the benefit of spending Summer League and preseason with the Knicks, which gave him increased time to adapt to the Knicks’ schemes and plays. He started out the season in Westchester and played three quarters of the season in White Plains, NY. He brought the Westchester County Center crowd to their feet on a nightly basis with his effortless three-point game and his ability to block shots.
An underrated part of his game was his passing. With Kornet spending time on the perimeter, especially when he shares the floor with another big, he has shown that he is capable of making nifty passes.
Kornet had several tremendous plays during the season, which include a putback slam and alley-oop tip-in to end a quarter in two different games. He performed well in countless games, which helped power the Westchester Knicks towards several victories.
In 36 games with Westchester, Kornet averaged 16.0 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 1.7 blocks on 44.0 percent shooting from deep in 32.4 minutes per game. His 44.0 percent from three ranked No. 7 in the G League, while his 1.7 blocks per contests was No. 11 in the league. He was named to the All-NBA G League Third Team.
After making his NBA debut on February 8, Kornet spent the majority of his rookie season with New York. In his first game against the Toronto Raptors, Kornet showed what he has been doing all season in Westchester. The rookie center finished with 11 points, 10 boards and four blocks in 22 minutes. He became the first Knick rookie with a double-double in his debut since John Wallace in 1996. He gave a glimpse that he could have a role with the team heading into the future. Kornet closed out his rookie season on a high note when he recorded a career-high 23 points, while connecting on four three-pointers.
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