“The Green Kornet” and its origins are a mystery to the man it refers to.

Luke Kornet (40) kept the ball during a game against the Minnesota Timberwolves. Erin Clark/Globe Staff

By day he is Luke Kornet, NBA basketball player for the Boston Celtics. But at night he is The Green Cornetthe superhero who strikes fear into the hearts of league opponents with his deadly defense and his signature closeouts.

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Despite The Green Kornet being one of its most popular alter egos, the center isn’t sure where the nickname came from.

“The Green Cornet,” he told Boston.com, “that just happened when I got traded. I honestly don’t even know.”

He said he believes the nickname came from Celtics analyst and former player Brian Scalabrine, and that it likely stems from the superhero “Green Hornet.” But despite the nickname’s deep roots, his teammates typically don’t call him that title.

“People don’t really call me that, at least not in our organization,” he said.

But for the fans and writers, it might as well be Kornet’s real name. They often refer to the Celtics big man by that name, who is very popular on social media.

He may not know how the nickname came about, but fans will still cheer for Het Groene Kornet when he takes the field.