Oct. 5, 2016
By Zac Ellis
VUCommodores.com
On campus in Nashville – When Bryce Drew scans his Vanderbilt basketball roster, here’s what he sees: Twelve players, 10 of whom stand shorter than 6-foot-8. One of the two Commodores taller than 6’8” is Djery Baptiste, a relatively raw and unproven 6’10” center who redshirted last season. Thus, Drew is expected to utilize plenty of “small ball” with Vanderbilt as it navigates its SEC schedule.
But one sizable outlier exists in the Commodores’ locker room. He’s a shot-blocking senior who stands 7’1” with a soft jumper and a possible NBA future. And as Drew enters his first season in Nashville, he expects to count on lanky forward Luke Kornet as a cornerstone of his new roster.
“Any coach in the country would be thrilled to have Luke,” Drew said.
Drew is certainly thankful he inherited Kornet, particularly at this point in Vanderbilt basketball history. The Commodores head into Drew’s inaugural campaign looking to absorb the departure of two NBA draft picks in guard Wade Baldwin and forward Damian Jones. That duo combined to average 28.0 points and 10.9 rebounds per game in 2015-16, with Baldwin also leading the ‘Dores in assists (5.2 per game). That’s a lot of production that Drew must replace.
Kornet expects to be a big piece to that puzzle. This season Kornet and guard Nolan Cressler return as the only two seniors on Vanderbilt’s roster. But while Cressler joined the Commodores two summers ago as a transfer from Cornell, Kornet has been with the program since the 2013-14 campaign. His father, Frank, played at Vanderbilt from 1986-89. That history – and a passion for the Commodores — has placed a burden of leadership on Kornet’s shoulders. As he enters his final season in Nashville, it’s an opportunity he doesn’t intend to waste.
“I definitely believe there’s more pressure on me, now that me and Nolan are the only seniors,” Kornet said. “But honestly, I was prepared for that last year. I just focus on doing the best that I can, try to influence others and not think about pressure.”
Kornet is hardly an unfamiliar face to Vanderbilt fans. He’s played in 93 games over the past three seasons, starting 25 a year ago and earning All-SEC Defensive Team honors. Kornet finished fourth in the country in blocks (3.0 per game) and is already fourth in Vanderbilt history in swatted shots (139). But the seven-footer is more than just a defensive threat; Kornet is a career 31.6% three-point shooter with range that routinely stretches defenses.
That versatility is why Vanderbilt’s offense will often run through Kornet, even with a “small ball” approach. “He’s multidimensional,” Drew said. “He can handle, pass, shoot and post. He’ll have an opportunity to do all of those things, and the team has done a really good job of finding him where his spots are.”
Kornet hopes to end his career in black and gold on a high note, particularly after last season. Vanderbilt entered Kornet’s junior campaign as a top-25 team but finished 19-14, including 11-7 in SEC play. Then longtime head coach Kevin Stallings left for Pittsburgh, and Baldwin and Jones jumped to the NBA. That changing of the guard threw Kornet into a role as an elder statesman, one largely responsible for the ‘Dores’ immediate future. This season he will lead a crop of returnees like junior Matthew Fisher-Davis (9.7 points per game in 2015-16), junior Jeff Roberson (9.3) and junior Riley LaChance (6.9).
The wild card, of course, is Drew. Kornet admits he was uneasy to adjust to a new coach during his final season at Vanderbilt. Today he says the program’s only holdover staffer from his freshman season is Zach Hamer, the head student manager. But Kornet’s hesitation concerning the ‘Dores’ new coaches didn’t last long.
“Once they got me with Coach Drew, I felt pretty confident that we were in good hands,” Kornet said. “He’s a very focused individual. That carries into everything in his life. He’s going to be intent in everything he does, and be on top of it. He doesn’t leave anything to chance.”
Kornet now has a chance to help revert Vanderbilt back into an SEC power. The NBA also remains an eventual goal for Kornet, who wants to improve his passing, his back-to-the-basket post game and his on-ball defense. But a strong start to the Bryce Drew era – and perhaps even a deep NCAA tournament run – is priority number-one for Kornet.
As for expectations other than his own? “None of that matters at all,” Kornet said. “What matters is your team playing on the court, focusing and not looking at anything outside the team.”
