Green With Envy: "Kornet's Return, Jaylen's Rant, and All Time International Celtics Draft"

Podcast: Green With Envy: A Boston Celtics Podcast
Episode Date: January 12, 2026
Host(s): Will and Greg Manakis
Special Guest: Mark McDonough (Dorchester author, "The Dead Know Nothing")

Episode Overview

This episode of Green With Envy spotlights the return of "fan favorite" Luke Kornet to Boston, analyzes Jaylen Brown’s fiery post-game comments about officiating, and takes a fun, deep-dive into Celtics history with an all-time Celtics International Players Fantasy Draft alongside author Mark McDonough. The hosts also launch into a "Mediocre Life Update" segment, blending irreverent personal stories with sports talk.

Main Themes & Highlights

Luke Kornet’s Return and Boston’s Sports Memory

• Luke Kornet’s persona and Boston’s quirky sports culture:
  • Mark jokes he’s often compared to Kornet:
    “I mean, I’m just tall and white. But then his mannerisms are pretty much exactly the same as mine. And they gave him the mic… and he started singing Holy Night instead” (02:12).
  • Will and Greg reminisce about the oddness that endears players like Kornet to fans.

Celtics vs. Spurs Recap & Wemby’s Impact

• Wembanyama as "game-changer":
  • Will: “Watching Wemby... there’s got to be some type of statistic that they come up with for drives deterred or drives turned around, where people just go into the lane, like, ah, no, Wemby. Literally just turn around.” (06:12)
  • Greg dubs it the “Wemby U-turn,” noting even Jaylen Brown was avoiding the paint.
• Jaylen Brown’s rant on referees:
  • Greg: “Jaylen came out and said, ‘give me a fine because this is ridiculous.’” (06:37)
• Boston Media drama:
  • Mark: “[Boston]…they’ve wanted this feud with Jaylen and Jason for seven years now. I just don’t think it will ever stop.” (03:48)

Tatum’s Return Blueprint – Lessons from the Spurs

• Bench role for returning stars?
  • Will: “Maybe this is the blueprint for what you do with Jason Tatum, is you kind of bring him off the bench, you can pick your spots...” (05:00)
  • Mark: “If Tatum bought in, it would be the best possible thing. But I think if Tatum is, like, a sourpuss over the whole situation, then that would be the worst possible thing.” (07:36)
  • Greg: This could “really endear Jason Tatum to the Boston media… they would stop all the... trying to tear down the Jays.”

Standout Celtics (Without Tatum & Many Starters)

• Player spotlight:
  • Mark’s favorite: Jordan Walsh—“He’s a maniac. I mean, he was 6’6”, guarding Wemby last night… That’s the attitude…” (10:18)
  • Discussion on the limits of running Jaylen Brown and Derrick White for >40 minutes on a back-to-back:
    “He just didn’t have anything down the stretch. He played a pretty bad fourth quarter and I think a lot of it had to do with fatigue…” (12:26)

Celtics’ Need for Another Star

• Are the Celtics missing too much firepower?
  • Greg: “...the last two games against the Nuggets and against the Spurs have just shown me time and time again that Jason Tatum is going to fit on this team.” (13:56)

The All-Time Celtics International Player Draft (18:21–52:08)

A playful, snake-style draft of the best Celtics, past and present, who hail from outside the U.S. Only time with the Celtics matters.

Draft Highlights:

• Criteria: Only international players during their Celtics tenure. Five players per team, snake format.
• Comedic tone: Picks are often justified by both on-court impact and personal/nostalgic hilarity.

Notable Picks & Moments

• Kyrie Irving goes #1:
  • Mark: “If I was going to win this basketball game... I’m gonna pick Kyrie.” (19:44)
• Al Horford, “consummate professional,” goes to Greg:
  • Greg: “Someone who won his first championship in Boston, Dominican Republic’s own Al Horford. Gotta go with Big Al…” (20:53)
• Dino Rađa nostalgia:
  • Will: “[He] represents 90s basketball... could be a character on ‘Dinosaurs.’” (23:40)
• Dennis Schröder defense:
  • Will: “...got a kind of a bad rap here in Boston. I’ve always liked Dennis Schröder’s game.” (25:52)
• Mediocre Celtics Legends:
  • Mark: “There are some hall of famers… but when the Celtics weren't particularly good, there would just be like, I don't know, random international players on the show... in Boston, they always become like, kind of like mascots almost.” (16:05)

Full Draft Teams (51:12)

• Mark: Kyrie Irving, Evan Fournier, Rick Fox, Aaron Baines (“all of Australia”), Daniel Theis
• Greg: Al Horford, Kristaps Porzingis, Leandro Barbosa (“Brazilian Blur”), Ugo Gonzalez, Jonas Jerebko
• Will: Dino Rađa, Dennis Schröder, Mickaël Piétrus, Neemias Queta, Yari [Jiří] Welsch

Best Tangent

• Tommy Heinsohn's legendary Baines shower quote & accidental three-point barrages (41:38):
  • “Gotta look at Baines in the shower and I’ll tell you real quick, he’s all Australia.”
  • Playoffs stat: Baines hit more threes in one postseason than in the whole regular season.

Author Segment: Mark McDonough & "The Dead Know Nothing" (52:08–68:21)

Plug for Mark‘s debut novel, set in Catholic Boston

• Mark describes his book:
  • “It’s like a mystery thriller. It’s crime fiction. Is this literature? I’m not exactly sure, but I would say it's a good story... it reads like a movie.” (66:25)
  • Themes include: Religious struggle, late-life reinvention, Boston culture, humor, and “sexual longing and fire in his loins” (per Greg).
• Greg’s favorite line:
  • “I would rather succeed as a human than fail as a robot...” (54:34)
• Real-life influences:
  • “The opening line is based on Greg. He tried to light a cigar and he lit his hair on fire. And then his mom yelled at him and we were like 28.” (57:14)
• Both Will and Greg reflect on Dorchester upbringing, Catholic upbringing, and the “innate longing” of the book’s protagonist.

Segment: Mediocre Life Update (68:35–85:36)

A recurring show segment escorting listeners through “hilariously unremarkable” life moments. Tone is light, self-deprecating, and often silly.

Highlights:

• Mark’s “Weapons” Halloween Debacle (69:23):
  • Wore an obscure witch costume to work:
    “People just didn't know what I was, so they were just, like, either scared or concerned or whatever... this girl who I've never met before... anytime somebody would come over to ask who I was, she'd go, he's weapons.”
• Greg’s Mom’s Passive-Aggressive Swiffer Gift (74:42):
  • Subtle parental shade, improvising cleaning without the battery pack, and debating “the right way” to clean—recalls his mother always cleaning the floor on hands and knees with paper towels.
• Will’s “No Sweets January” Dilemma (79:11):
  • Accidentally received a box of sweets during a self-imposed no-sugar challenge:
    “There's this temptation in the house that we didn't have before... Do we cave just for the gift?... Or do we just get them the hell out of the house?”
  • Group decides to either donate or freeze, agreeing on the importance of momentum in self-improvement.

Notable Quotes

On Boston's Sports Media:

• Mark: “They've wanted this feud with Jaylen and Jason for seven years now. So, I just don't think it will ever stop.” (03:48)

On Tatum coming off the bench:

• Mark: “If Tatum bought in, it would be the best possible thing. But I think if Tatum is, like, sourpuss over the whole situation, then that would be the worst possible thing.” (07:36)

On All-Time International Draft selection logic:

• Mark: “If I'm going to try to win, I'm gonna pick Kyrie. My favorite international player? No, definitely not.” (20:00)

On Celtics fandom:

• Mark: “[Random international players] may have only been here for like two or three years, but then you remember them forever.” (16:05)

On authorial authenticity (re: AI):

• Mark: “I would rather succeed as a human than fail as a robot, and I really like that because so many people use an AI these days.” (54:34)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Luke Kornet Return & Boston's Love for Quirkiness: (01:51–03:10)
• Wemby’s Dominance & Jaylen Brown’s Frustration: (06:12–07:13)
• Tatum’s Possible Return Blueprint: (05:00–09:07)
• All-Time International Celtics Draft Begins: (18:21)
• Best Celtics International Players – Deep Nostalgia & Outrageous Roster Building: (23:40–52:08)
• Mark’s Book Segment: (52:08–68:21)
• Mediocre Life Update: (68:35–85:36)

Tone and Approach

The episode is conversational, irreverent, and nostalgic, featuring deep Celtics knowledge mixed with Boston-bred humor. The hosts and guest are unafraid to veer into life’s trivialities, family stories, and self-mockery, keeping the discussion both informative for Celtics fans and relatable to general listeners.

For Listeners Who Missed the Episode...

This episode is the perfect blend of Celtics basketball breakdown, deep roster dives, Boston sports culture, and lighthearted personal storytelling. While fans will enjoy the deep cuts on Celtics international players and Jaylen/Tatum drama, anyone can connect with the playful mediocrity of the life updates or the heart-felt discussion about creativity in the age of AI.

Whether you care about Banner 19 or just need ideas about what to do with leftover sweets, this episode delivers basketball talk with a shot of humor and heart.