Spurs coach Mitch Johnson and his workers's emphasis on accountability will probably be even stronger this season after the addition of Billy Donovan.
That was the message heart Luke Kornet delivered to reporters on the primary day of coaching camp when requested in regards to the Corridor of Fame coach becoming a member of the defending Western Convention champions.
The Spurs employed Donovan as an assistant within the offseason after Sean Sweeney left following the Finals loss to the New York Knicks to educate the Orlando Magic. Kornet performed underneath Donovan for a lot of the 2020-21 season in Donovan's first yr as coach of the Chicago Bulls.
"Billy's nice," Kornet stated Tuesday. "He was very sincere, easy and holds you to a excessive normal," Kornet stated.
A member of the Naismith Basketball Corridor of Fame's Class of 2025 after main Florida to 2 nationwide titles, Donovan, 61, started in search of a brand new job after leaving the Bulls in late April after six seasons as head coach.
The Bulls had been 226-256 underneath Donovan and missed the playoffs the final 4 seasons. Chicago made it to the primary spherical of the postseason in his second season season as coach.
Donovan joined Chicago after 5 seasons teaching the Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder. He completed that stint after mutually parting methods with the Thunder with a 243-157 file and 5 straight playoff appearances.
"He’s only a good chief, a great instructor and good at holding you accountable to issues all year long, which I believe matches in rather well with what we had (final season) and what we proceed to attempt to develop to be," Kornet stated.
Kornet additionally likes that Donovan focuses on successful above all else.
"The purpose (in Chicago) was at all times simply to win," Kornet stated. "And so the whole lot was aligned to that and all the choices got here supernaturally from that the place there wasn't actually any second guessing. That’s the first most vital precedence for a coach and clearly one thing he's carried out for years."
Kornet extra comfortable: Kornet arrived at camp with a better sense of consolation with final season's maiden voyage as a Spur behind him.
Having performed two seasons with New York, two seasons with Chicago and four-plus with Boston over two completely different stints over the earlier 9 seasons, the 31-year-old native of Lantana, Texas, is not any stranger to the two-year means of settling in with a brand new staff.
"I really feel like that first yr goes by fairly fast," stated Kornet, who signed a four-year, $41 million contract with the Spurs in July 2025. "(Within the second yr), you simply really feel much more dwelling, much more snug and much more part of the id of the staff and one of many guys. I really feel like making an attempt to take some possession (within the staff) is a bit bit simpler after you have got a base."
Kornet stated he's a giant fan of the Spurs' skip-no-steps method and their "each day accountability to win each sport."
"That's one thing the workers does an excellent job of and the group does the place we simply hold to our processes and attempt to win that day," he stated. "After which hopefully you lookup and also you're at a great place in the long run.
"However the pleasure is simply in successful the day, and we began with a great first day of coaching camp (Tuesday)."
Champagnie remembers thriller: Spurs ahead Julian Champagnie nonetheless can't recover from how thrilling it was for him and some of his teammates to witness Texas' 24-23 come-from-behind victory over Ohio State earlier this month in Austin.
"That was a loopy sport, in all probability one of the best soccer sport I've ever watched in individual," he stated of the Longhorns gorgeous the top-ranked Buckeyes with a 21-0 fourth quarter run after trailing by 20 coming into the ultimate interval.
Champagnie stated the 105,044 followers in attendance underscored the eagerness of Austin's sports activities followers.
"Austin's nice. The followers are at all times there," he stated. "Clearly, we (play there each season), they usually convey the power, so I anticipated no (completely different) for that sport."
Champagnie will probably be again in Austin when the Spurs face the Houston Rockets at 8:30 p.m. on Oct. 23 at Moody Middle. They will even play there on Feb. 26 towards the Memphis Grizzlies and on Feb. 28 versus the Denver Nuggets.
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