NCAA News Release

National Collegiate Athletic Association

Kanter Ruled Permanently Ineligible

For Immediate Release

Friday, January 7, 2011

Contact(s)

Chuck Wynne
Director of Communication Strategy
317/917-6117

INDIANAPOLIS ---University of Kentucky men’s basketball student-athlete Enes Kanter has been ruled permanently ineligible for receiving impermissible compensation from a professional team.

The NCAA Student-Athlete Reinstatement Committee has upheld the NCAA staff decision that Kanter received $33,033 above his actual and necessary expenses for one year while playing for a club basketball team in Turkey.

The reinstatement committee is the final appeal opportunity.  The independent committee is composed of representatives from NCAA member colleges, universities and athletic conferences.  It can reduce or remove the conditions but cannot increase the conditions imposed by the staff.

As a result of the ruling, Kanter will not be allowed to compete, practice or travel with the team as a player, but is able to receive financial aid to continue his education at Kentucky.  The university has indicated it plans to designate Kanter as an undergraduate student-assistant coach.  In this capacity, Kanter could perform limited coaching duties with the team. 

Actual and necessary expenses are defined by NCAA rules and generally relate to a player’s expenses directly necessary for practice and competition on a team.  Some examples include meals and lodging directly tied to practice or competition, coaching, medical insurance and transportation tied to practice or competition.

Kanter played three seasons with the Turkish sport club Fenerbahce from 2006-07 to 2008-09. Although he competed primarily for the club’s under-18 junior team, he did compete on the club’s senior team in 2008-09. According to facts agreed to by the university and the NCAA Eligibility Center, Kanter received $33,033 more than his actual expenses for the 2008-09 season.  

Although a recent NCAA rule change allows prospective student-athletes to compete on teams with professionals while maintaining their amateur status before  college enrollment, the membership maintained the longstanding rule that receipt of money above actual and necessary expenses from a professional team is a violation and defines the individual as a professional under NCAA legislation. That was the case here.

Kanter was initially ruled ineligible Nov. 11 by the NCAA reinstatement staff.  Before reaching its decision, the reinstatement staff considered a number of factors, including:  the nature and seriousness of the violation; any impermissible benefits received; the student-athlete’s level of responsibility; any mitigating factors presented by the university; applicable NCAA guidelines; and any relevant case precedent.

The original staff decision was upheld by the reinstatement committee on Dec 2.   

On Dec. 8, the university asked for and was granted reconsideration of its case based upon new information. This is in keeping with NCAA policy allowing schools a second opportunity to state their case should new information become available.

The new information did not change the original statement of facts that had been agreed to by the university and the NCAA prior to the start of the reinstatement process. 

After considering the new information, the reinstatement staff once again ruled Kanter permanently ineligible Dec 10.  In response to the staff decision, the university chose to appeal a second time to the reinstatement committee.  Kentucky’s appeal was heard on Jan. 6 and the school was informed on Jan. 7 of the committee’s decision.

 “While unfortunate for Enes and the University of Kentucky, the final decision of the reinstatement committee is completely compatible with the collegiate model of sports our members have developed, since he received a significant amount of money, above his actual expenses from a professional team prior to coming to college,” said Kevin Lennon, NCAA vice president of academic and membership affairs.

Summary of timeline

Kanter moved to the United States in 2009 and attended a prep high school before enrolling at Kentucky in the fall of 2010.

The NCAA Eligibility Center staff first contacted Kentucky in March 2010 and Enes Kanter directly on March 24, 2010, with questions about his involvement with a Turkish professional basketball team.  From the beginning and throughout the process, the university and the NCAA conducted multiple interviews and compiled documentation pertinent to the case. 

In June, the NCAA staff provided Kentucky and Kanter with information it received indicating Kanter received benefits from the Turkish team.  In August, Kanter and his father acknowledged receiving those benefits. From August to mid-October, NCAA staff assisted Kentucky as it pursued factual and interpretive appeals.

On Oct. 25, Kentucky agreed to the statement of facts in the case and on Oct. 27 asked the student-athlete reinstatement staff to rule on his eligibility. The staff, after an initial review, asked for more information on Nov. 1.  Kentucky responded on Nov. 4 and 8, and the NCAA reinstatement staff made its decision on Nov. 11.  Under NCAA student-athlete reinstatement guidelines Kanter was allowed to practice but not compete or travel with the team during the appeal process.

On Dec. 1, the NCAA Student-Athlete Reinstatement Committee heard the first appeal.

On Dec. 2, the committee notified the NCAA reinstatement staff it had upheld its decision of permanent ineligibility.  NCAA staff then notified the University of Kentucky. During the notification call, the university indicated it had new information and requested a reconsideration.   

On Dec. 8, the university forwarded its case based upon the new information to the NCAA reinstatement staff.

On Dec. 10, the NCAA reinstatement staff upheld its initial ruling of permanent ineligibility. 

On Dec. 20, the university notified the NCAA it planned to appeal the second staff decision.

On Jan. 6, the reinstatement committee heard the school’s appeal before rendering its decision.

On Jan. 7, the University of Kentucky was notified that its appeal had been denied.

ncaa.org

NCAA appeal hearing on Kanter scheduled for Thursday

The NCAA eligibility appeal hearing for Kentucky freshman center Enes Kanter—technically, his second before this committee—was scheduled to be at 2 p.m. ET Thursday by conference call, a source told Sporting News.

Kanter is a 6-11 center from Turkey who spent the 2009-10 academic year in the United States playing prep school basketball in California before committing to attend UK.

The NCAA approved his academic eligibility, but he has not been permitted to compete as the NCAA considered amateurism issues that developed from Kanter's time with the Fenerbahce Ulker club in Istanbul.

The NCAA's eligibility staff ruled Kanter “permanently ineligible” in November, after the Kanter family agreed with the organization's finding that his family received more than $30,000 from the club during his three years there.

The Kanters claimed the majority of that money was spent on educational expenses—tuition and tutors—which they argue is similar to a prep school scholarship for an American youth. The rest sits unused in a bank account.

Dr. Mehmet Kanter told Sporting News in December that he offered to pay back the entire amount, in the same manner as Kansas freshman Josh Selby was permitted to pay back roughly $6,000 in extra benefits he was provided while a high school player. The NCAA declined the offer and ruled that Kanter could not play.

UK appealed that ruling and was waiting for a decision when the NCAA declared Auburn quarterback Cam Newton could continue his college football career because he was not aware of his father's admitted scheme to attempt to sell his son’s commitment to Mississippi State. At that point, UK asked to have Kanter's eligibility reconsidered, according to a source, because of similarities in the two cases.

“I been saying from beginning of the review there has never been any monetary exchange between Enes and Fenerbahce,” Mehmet Kanter said in an e-mail to Sporting News. “Enes was 16 years old, never had any knowledge about any accounts and everything has been between me and Fenerbahce.”

NCAA appeal hearing on Kanter scheduled for Thursday

Mike DeCourcysportingnews.com

NCAA to rule on Kanter's appeal

Kentucky freshman Enes Kanter’s last-ditch appeal to get on the court this season is scheduled for Thursday afternoon.

According to a source close to the situation, FOXSports.com has learned that the Kentucky freshman’s fate should be determined by the NCAA in the day or so following the appeal, which was filed in early December, two days after the NCAA’s decision to allow Auburn quarterback Cam Newton to play in the BCS Championship Game.

Kanter was ruled “permanently ineligible” by the NCAA student-athlete reinstatement staff earlier this season for receiving benefits above his actual and necessary expenses while playing in Turkey.

The initial appeal in front of the Division I Student-Athlete Reinstatement Committee was upheld, but Kentucky then filed a last-ditch appeal based on the Newton case — in which the football star is allowed to play because the NCAA ruled he was unaware of the pay-for-play scenario put forth by his father.

The 6-foot-10 Kanter played three years with Fenerbahce, and both Kentucky and the NCAA Eligibility Center agreed that he received $33,033 more than his expenses for the 2008-09 campaign.

Kanter is considered a sure-fire lottery pick, one of the elite big men in the country and potentially even the top overall pick in next June’s NBA draft, according to multiple NBA executives.

The 11th-ranked Wildcats are 12-2 and will begin SEC play on Saturday at Georgia.

NCAA to rule on Kanter's appeal

Jeff Goodman

msn.foxsports.com

2011 Draft Prospect Profile - Enes Kanter

Enes Kanter
Height: 6'11" (in shoes), 260 lbs , 18-years old,  (Signed with Kentucky, but not currently playing basketball due to eligibility problems)
Stats after 10 games  - None
Draft projection: Anywhere between 4-9. I have him as #4.
NBA Position: Center

Before I start extolling the virtues of Enes Kanter, I first want to go on a bit of a rant.....

In November, Enes Kanter was ruled "permanently ineligible" by the NCAA because his father reportedly accepted "benefits" from a Turkish professional club over and above actual expenses. Allegedly, Kanter's European club Fenerbahce Ulker, paid cash and benefits over a three year period to reimburse him for expenses. The NCAA declared that about $30,000 of those payments were outside the eligibility rules.


Just two years before, Kanter's father had turned down contract offers worth multiple millions of dollars "more than a few times" because his intention was for Enes to keep his amateur status and play and study at a United States college. In addition, Kanter was offered the chance to play for the Turkish national team in the FIBA World Championships, but declined because it would have required him to miss nearly a month of classes at Kentucky - and because it would jeopardize his amateur standing. As a result of Turkey's runner-up finish in the World Championships, each player on the team shared an $18 million bonus pool funded by the government and each player was given a condominium by a private Company. Those "benefits" would have certainly caused Kanter to lose his amateur status. That's enough evidence for me that Kanter intended to remain an amateur. But of course, I'm not the NCAA.

There are also allegations that Kanter's Turkish basketball club intentionally overstated the cash and benefits they paid when they spoke to the New York Times when the original story broke - hoping that it would lead to an NCAA investigation. The intent being to punish Kanter and deter other Turkish players from turning down contract offers from the club. Another twist is that Fenerbahce has every reason to want to keep their rights to Kanter as they can demand a release fee worth millions of dollars from either an NBA franchise or any other pro club, inside or outside of Turkey.... if he plays for another professional club this year.

So in Kanter's case, there wasn't really hundreds of thousands of dollars involved, and there wasn't a salary paid - His father didn't try to elicit money from Kentucky - and Enes Kanter is not a "professional" basketball player receiving compensation for his play. Quite the opposite;  as the "benefits" the Turkish club paid were used by his family to pay for Kanter’ educational expenses—such as schooling and tutors. Had Fenerbahce paid the expenses directly, there would be no problem - But because Fenerbahce didn't pay those expenses directly and instead reimbursed the Family directly, the NCAA declared those payments were outside the eligibility rules. In my opinion, it's a case where the "letter of the law", and the NCAA's deaf-dumb-and-blind enforcers have obscured the intent of the law.


Cam Newton was ruled ineligible by the NCAA because his father tried to get Mississippi State to pay hundreds of thousands of dollars for his son to play football there. Auburn appealed for his reinstatement on the grounds that Cam did not know what his father had done.  The NCAA gave Cam Newton the OK to play in the SEC championship game. Kanter's family gets reimbursed about $30,000 for expenses, and Kanter is ruled "permanently ineligible". You've got to be kidding - right? Newton is allowed to play, but Kanter is not? How is that even remotely fair?

Kanter has appealed the ruling, but as of late December, the case is still "under review". The NCAA is notoriously slow and deliberate in these matters (unless your name is Cam Newton, and there are millions of dollars in bowl revenues at stake - then things get expedited) - but in the mean time Kanter, who came to the U.S. with the intention of playing at a US college and eventually in the NBA, is still enrolled at Kentucky and doing well in the classroom. And while he can practice, he cannot play or travel with the team. There are reports that Kanter couldsue the NCAA if they do not allow him to play.

Enes Kanter is a 6'11" Center from Turkey. He has a solid 7'1" wingspan and a 9'1" standing reach. It's fair to assume that at 18 years old, he's probably still growing. Kanter won't wow you with his explosiveness or athleticism, but unlike the other Euro big men in this draft Kanter has a well developed frame and is extremely strong. Also unlike other Euro big men, he is a physical presence down low. He's not the most explosive jumper, but he's got great foot work, and a high skill level. He runs the floor well for a guy his size. He's got great hands, seemingly able to secure any basketball even remotely close to him. What he lacks in pure athleticism and quickness - he more than makes up for in intelligence, skill level and energy.

Although he was ruled ineligible to play college ball this year, I was able to see some of his play in EuroLeague competition when he was 16, and I also watched him dominate in the Under 18 European Championships tournament and absolutely blow up at the Nike Hoops Summit game. The Nike game was played in April 2010 with the top high school seniors (including Harrison Barnes, Jared Sullinger, Kyrie Irving, Brandon Knight and Terrence Jones) playing against a World Select Team made up of top European players 19-years-old or younger. Kanter broke the individual World Team scoring record (formerly held by Dirk Nowitzki) scoring 34 points. He threw in 13 rebounds for good measure. He absolutely destroyed anyone the US team put on him on Offense - and more than held his own defensively. To underscore how dominant he was in that game, he didn't start, and accomplished all that in only 24 minutes of play. He was quite simply the best player on the court, by a wide margin.

Kanter is an old-school throw back post player. He's just a beast in the paint. He has a tremendous base, and strong legs. Once he establishes post position, there's no one that will move him out. In addition, he has great footwork; looking like an established 10-year professional, rather than a 18-year old kid. He knows how to use his bulk and size to his advantage, but is also crafty in using angles, leverage and pump fakes to get his shot off. He seems to relish contact inside - most of the time initiating it himself. He has a well developed post game with a variety of up and under moves, pivots, drop steps, hooks, short jumpers, turn around and scoop shots. He's has the muscle to finish through contact, and the touch to still put up a soft shot around the rim. There's really not much that he cannot do in the post. If you try to front him, he simply holds his position for the lob. If you play behind him, he'll either score over you, or around you, or more likely THROUGH you.

Surprisingly, Kanter is not restricted to playing in the paint. He has a very polished looking jumper with range out to the International three point line. He doesn't show it off much, preferring to do his damage inside, but his mechanics are sound with squared shoulders and a nice high release. He line drives his shot a bit, but even so, he's been effective with it. Given the fact that he sets devastating screens, has great soft hands, tremendous foot work, and that nice jumper - he should be a very good pick-and-roll player in the NBA; especially if he can get a bit more arc on his shot. He displays the same fundamental form from the Free Throw line - and is a good shooter from there, hitting almost 70%.

As for the rest of his offensive game, he's not much of a ball handler, but he can take a dribble or two and go directly to the rim. Asking him to do anything else dribbling the basketball is asking for a turn over. He even broke out a spin move during the Nike game. He's alert and active on offense, making the correct pass out of double teams, and hitting cutters. He sets solid screens, not worrying about rolling to the basket until he's properly impeded the opposition's guard. 

On defense, Kanter is very good in the post. Because he has a strong base, he's difficult to back down. He plays smart positional defense, using his strength and bulk to his advantage. He's active and alert and plays with great energy on the defensive end. His length helps to block a few shots, but I don't expect him to be a great shot blocker at the next level. His quickness is adequate enough to stay in front of most Centers, but he'll have trouble with quicker, perimeter oriented big men. He has very good court awareness - and anticipates well. His biggest and most desirable quality is his ability to rebound. When a shot is missed, more likely than not it will be Kanter pulling down the rebound. His bulk and length help him a lot here, as does his intelligence and timing. His high energy motor is also in evidence, as he frequently beats smaller, quicker players to the ball. He simply seems to want the ball more than everyone else..... and if he keeps that desire, he should be an excellent rebounder in the NBA. 

Talented big men are hard to come by in the NBA - especially big men that are skilled, have a high intensity level and play "big". That's the way to describe Enes Kanter - he plays "big". He's a beast in the paint.... He's fundamentally sound. He rebounds in traffic... He loves contact... He's a throw back "big man" with a competitive attitude and a toughness to his game. Obviously at 18 years old, Kanter will only get better with experience - but he should be able to contribute rebounding and inside scoring right away for any Lottery team - even as a Rookie.

If the Wizards are looking to change their culture - Looking to get tougher - Looking to get more physical - they could do a lot worse than drafting Enes Kanter.

 by Rook6980

bulletsforever.com