Enes Kanter Highlights vs. Lakers 2-04-12

Enes Kanter wants to play basketball, considers China

All draft picks need to prove themselves in the NBA, but most enter the league having proven something to the general public. College stars have spent a great deal of time on our TV screens, other college players have at least spent some time as prospects, and most of the best foreign players face good competition at the club and international levels.

New Utah Jazz big man Enes Kanter(notes) is an outlier. A 19-year-old from Turkey, Kanter was set to play for John Calipari at Kentucky, only to be declared ineligible by the NCAA. So he hasn't played organized basketball for an entire year, and before that he was facing subpar competition for a prep school in Southern California. Kanter has lots of talent, but most scouts and GMs had barely seen him play in a competitive environment before he vaulted to the top of their draft boards.
As such, Kanter needs to play basketball somewhere next season, lockout or no lockout. According to his agent, he's considering China. From Brian T. Smith for the Salt Lake Tribune (via PBT):

Kanter's agent, Max Ergul, told The Salt Lake Tribune on Friday that his client has official offers from two Chinese teams. Ergul does not want Kanter to miss another year of basketball, and he will seriously weigh the offers if the lockout stretches into late September.
"It's very interesting stuff," said Ergul, who said he could not reveal the names of the clubs because details of the negotiations are still confidential. "We'll be entertaining those ideas as well as the lockout progresses. He's a ballplayer — he has to play." [...]
If the lockout does not end by late September and Kanter decides not to play pro ball overseas, he plans to work out with trainer Tim Grover, who also has ties with Chinese teams.

Kanter's interest in playing overseas isn't notable in itself -- virtually every NBA player of any substance has entertained offers at this point in the summer. Still, his situation is quite different from that of someone like Kobe Bryant(notes). Whereas established players are going overseas to earn some extra money and engage in a diversion during a lockout, Kanter would head to China to prove something and improve his game. He has a legitimate professional interest in the CBA beyond increasing his marketing profile or keeping his bank account afloat.
The CBA isn't the best league around, but it seems amenable to getting NBA imports for a year if it boosts its bottom line. Plus, even at 19, Kanter has experienced enough change that he could move to a new country and probably acquit himself fairly well. He could in fact learn something from a trip to China. If it happens, he may gain more from the lockout than players looking at a club team as a cool way to spend a few months.

Enes Kanter wants to play basketball, considers China
By Eric Freeman
sports.yahoo.com

Kanter eager to showcase skills at NBA combine

With each day adding more distance to the last time Enes Kanter played in an organized basketball game, the 6-foot-11 Turkish center only grows more anxious to prove he can play.

Kanter celebrated his 19th birthday Friday by trying to prove himself in front of an NBA audience at the league's combine. While Brandon Knight, his would-be former teammate from the University of Kentucky, declined to participate in skill drills, Kanter threw himself into everything asked.

"No one has seen me play yet, and no one knows me,” Kanter said. “… It was really important (to participate) because every NBA guy is here and I just try to do my best and show myself."

He'll get a chance to play in the league next season — pending a lockout. Kanter is projected as a top-10 pick by most observers, going as high as fourth to Cleveland, according to NBAdraft.net.

Former UK guard DeAndre Liggins said Kanter is ready.

“He's an animal in the low post, and he can shoot it like 15 feet,” Liggins said. “Very physical, got a big body — he's going to be a good player.”

The NCAA ruled Kanter ineligible after he accepted about $33,000 in excess of permitted compensation while playing for a professional team in Turkey, and he never suited up for UK this season.

Kanter maintained that he never handled any money, receiving only what his father gave to him. He also expressed disappointment with Fenerbahce, his Turkish team, for not helping him become eligible. He hinted it may have been a backlash for not signing a long-term deal with the club.

“They didn't try hard enough to make me play in the NCAA,” Kanter said. “I think after I left there they try to make me sign like a six-year contract. … I said my dream was always NBA. After I left, I think they got mad.”

But Kanter credits Fenerbahce for getting him prepared for the rigors of the NBA. From playing games in both the Turkish league and Euroleague, Kanter got used to the travel and physical demands. At 16, he said he was the youngest player to ever play in the Euroleague.

“That was a really good experience for me because I was playing with real pros, like 30-, 35-year-old guys,” Kanter said. “It just makes you more ready. If you cannot (play) against these guys, you cannot play.”

The last time Kanter performed before a wide audience he dropped a record 34 points and 13 rebounds in the Nike Hoops Summit game on April 10, 2010. And he did all that with a bad back.

“I couldn't show myself 100 percent because of my back,” Kanter said. “Before the game I wasn't sure if I was going to play or not.”

Kanter said he's been working out in Chicago for about six weeks with trainer Tim Grover, who has worked with Michael Jordan, Dwyane Wade and Kobe Bryant.

Grover and Kanter met during the Jordan Brand Classic international game held in Greece. It's part of the reason why Kanter feels that, despite missing last season, he's ready to play.

Since being denied eligibility, working out has been about all Kanter could do — until now. He plans on taking full advantage of the combine.

“After they made me ineligible I just didn't want to give up,” he said. “They said, ‘Right now you have to be like tough and try to get ready for the next level.' Before practice and after practice I worked with coach (John Calipari) and my strength coach every day.”

Kanter said he thinks about Calipari's last bit of advice every time he steps on the court.

“Just play hard, because no one has seen you play yet,” Kanter said. “Go out there and show everybody who is Enes Kanter.”

C.L. Brown can be reached at (502) 582-4044.

Kanter eager to showcase skills at NBA combine

Written by C.L. Brown

courier-journal.com

‘Trainer to the pros’ helps Kanter prepare

Would-be UK player Enes Kanter went top shelf in preparing himself for the NBA. He said he had been in Chicago for about six weeks working with Tim Grover, a man known as the “trainer to the pros.”

Among Grover’s clients are Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant and Dwyane Wade.
So when asked if he was rusty after having not played in more than a year, Kanter said, “I don’t think so. I feel I’m in great shape.”
Kanter met Grover when the latter went to Greece four years ago to attend a Jordan Brand Classic game.
Kanter said he had been working out with Grover twice a day.
Although in Chicago for six weeks, Kanter said he was able to do classwork.
“I took my classes on line,” he said. “I have one more final. After that, I will be done.”

‘Trainer to the pros’ helps Kanter prepare

Jerry Tipton

ukbasketball.bloginky.com