November 20, 2010
Enes Kanter Appeal Process
The world knows by now that the NCAA Clearinghouse ruled unfavorably in the case of Enes Kanter's amateurism. Specifically, they stated that $33,033 too much had be given to the Kanter's and thus he was to be considered a professional basketball player. Due to these facts in the case, he was ruled "permanently ineligible", a statement that makes a reversal during the appeals process seem bleak. Since we are all now heavily impacted by the appeals process, let's take a look at how it works.
Most interestingly to me, the appeals process does not include NCAA Clearinghouse staff. It is independent and comprised of representatives from NCAA member colleges, universities and athletic conferences. This committee can reduce or remove the conditions, but it cannot increase the conditions imposed by the staff.
This appeals process will not be to argue the facts in the case. The appeal in this case is to determine whether or not the NCAA applied the rule to the circumstances of this unique situation. Namely, the appeals body will determine whether or not the money used for educational expenses should be considered as an allowable expense under the rule.
Another difference in this process is that Enes Kanter will have an opportunity to speak to the committee. He'll have an opportunity to explain to the committee "the uniqueness of his circumstances" as Mitch Barnhart explained.
The two possible outcomes are clear. The appeals committee says Enes can play by removing or reducing the previously applied sanctions, or they uphold the original ruling of permanent ineligibility. Obviously the previous is the desired outcome for Enes, Kentucky and Big Blue Nation. And it shouldn't be necessarily considered a closed appeals process due to the facts above.
nationofblue.com
How good is University of Kentucky without Kanter?
The NCAA’s ruling last week that Kentucky center Enes Kanter is “permanently ineligible,” sent shockwaves through college basketball.
Kanter was found to have received more than $33,000 in extra benefits while he played for a Turkish professional team as a teenager.
The Wildcats are appealing the ruling.
That leaves John Calipari, for now, without a dominant big man and raises the question: How good will UK be without Kanter, who is projected to be a top-five pick in next summer’s NBA draft?
GERRY AHERN’S RESPONSE
Talent-laden Kentucky might be the one team in the country that could weather the loss of this level of talent and still be considered a national-title contender. Look at the way freshmen Terrence Jones (25 points, 12 rebounds), Brandon Knight (17 points, five assists) and Doron Lamb (20 points on 7-of-10 shooting) got off in the opener against East Tennessee State. The Wildcats shot 50 percent from 3-point distance, a great equalizer against anyone. That’s the good news. The less favorable report: forwards Josh Harrellson and Eloy Vargas were non-factors, combining for two points against ETSU. The SEC East is going to be a heck of a lot tougher than last year with Florida a true threat, Tennessee solid and Georgia lurking as a possible contender. The lack of an inside game is likely to present issues night-in and night-out for Calipari. And let’s face it, even with DeMarcus Cousins in the middle a year ago, Kentucky fell short of national championship expectations. Expect the Wildcats to finish second in the SEC East, win two games in the NCAA tournament and be mad in March once again.
JASON KING’S RESPONSE
Even without Enes Kanter, I still expect Kentucky to contend with Florida for the SEC East title before making a decent run in the NCAA tournament. And when I say decent, I’m talking about the Sweet 16 or the Elite Eight – but not the Final Four. Kentucky is still ultra-talented with players such as freshmen Brandon Knight, Doron Lamb and Terrence Jones, all of whom are expected to start. Upperclassmen Darius Miller and DeAndre Liggins should have breakthrough seasons. Still, a lack of an inside presence will make it tough for Kentucky to become an elite team. My guess is that Kentucky will be outrebounded in at least half of its games against SEC opponents. Coach John Calipari will likely be forced to use a four-guard lineup. Whether they’re starting or coming off the bench, forwards Josh Harrellson and Eloy Vargas will have to play major roles, and that’s not good. Even if Kanter had played, I’m not convinced the Wildcats would’ve been good enough to contend for the NCAA title. But they definitely won’t now. Calipari needs to convince this talented crop of freshmen to stay another year so they can benefit from the presence of recent signees Anthony Davis and Kyle Wiltjer, both of whom are forwards. The 2011-12 season has the potential to be a great one for Kentucky. This season, however, will be just average.
rivals.com
November 12, 2010
Kanter well worth the risk for Calipari
There’s a reason why just about everyone passed on Enes Kanter.They all knew it was a long shot — at best — that the Turkish big man would be cleared to play college basketball by the NCAA.
However, Kentucky coach John Calipari rolled the dice, figuring it was worth the risk to see if he could maybe find a way to get Kanter on the court in a Wildcats uniform.
The NCAA student-athlete reinstatement staff on Thursday night ruled Kanter permanently ineligible for receiving benefits “above his actual and necessary expenses” while playing for club basketball team Fenerbahce in Turkey.
Kanter played three years with Fenerbahce, and both Kentucky and the NCAA Eligibility Center agreed that he received $33,033 more than his necessary expenses for the 2008-09 campaign.
“Enes took advantage of an opportunity to play at the highest level available to him, but the consequences of receiving payments above his actual expenses is not compatible with the collegiate model of sports that our members have developed,” said Kevin Lennon, NCAA vice president of academic and membership affairs, in a statement.
That should be enough to keep Kanter off the court, but it’s not over yet.
There’s still an appeal process though which Kentucky will go in front of the Division I Student-Athlete Reinstatement Committee — independently comprised of representatives from colleges, universities and athletic conferences — at the end of November.
It’s the last chance for Kentucky to make its case in the initial-eligibility process.
And unless UTEP coach Tony Barbee or UMass head man Derek Kellogg — two of Calipari’s former players — are on the committee, it’s difficult to imagine other administrators going against the NCAA’s decision in order to clear one of his players.
You see, Calipari isn’t exactly well-liked in college basketball circles.
And now, you’ve got one of his players, someone who the school has admitted took in excess of $33,000 from a Turkish basketball club, trying to get approved to play college basketball.
Kanter’s amateur status is now history.
He is a pro —plain and simple.
Sure, there are those who feel players should be allowed to take money, but under the current system, it’s illegal.
The NCAA student-athlete reinstatement staff on Thursday night ruled Kanter permanently ineligible for receiving benefits “above his actual and necessary expenses” while playing for club basketball team Fenerbahce in Turkey.
Kanter played three years with Fenerbahce, and both Kentucky and the NCAA Eligibility Center agreed that he received $33,033 more than his necessary expenses for the 2008-09 campaign.
“Enes took advantage of an opportunity to play at the highest level available to him, but the consequences of receiving payments above his actual expenses is not compatible with the collegiate model of sports that our members have developed,” said Kevin Lennon, NCAA vice president of academic and membership affairs, in a statement.
That should be enough to keep Kanter off the court, but it’s not over yet.
There’s still an appeal process though which Kentucky will go in front of the Division I Student-Athlete Reinstatement Committee — independently comprised of representatives from colleges, universities and athletic conferences — at the end of November.
It’s the last chance for Kentucky to make its case in the initial-eligibility process.
And unless UTEP coach Tony Barbee or UMass head man Derek Kellogg — two of Calipari’s former players — are on the committee, it’s difficult to imagine other administrators going against the NCAA’s decision in order to clear one of his players.
You see, Calipari isn’t exactly well-liked in college basketball circles.
And now, you’ve got one of his players, someone who the school has admitted took in excess of $33,000 from a Turkish basketball club, trying to get approved to play college basketball.
Kanter’s amateur status is now history.
He is a pro —plain and simple.
Sure, there are those who feel players should be allowed to take money, but under the current system, it’s illegal.
And it would set a bad precedent to clear Kanter.
That’s why just about everyone — even prep school powerhouse Oak Hill Academy — took a pass on Kanter.
Except for Calipari.
Calipari’s reputation is already cemented. Sure, he hasn’t been directly tied to his previous institutions — UMass and Memphis — vacating their Final Four appearances. However, Calipari was in charge of the program when Marcus Camby took money from agents and Derrick Rose’s SAT score was deemed invalid.
Taking a shot on Kanter was worth it for Calipari. It wouldn’t alter the perception, anyway, and anything that had been given to Kanter back in his days with Fenerbahce came prior to Kentucky jumping into the fray.
After all, Kanter, who will be allowed to practice with the team while Kentucky appeals the NCAA’s ruling, is a difference maker.
With the relentless big man, who is projected by many NBA executives as a top-five pick in the next NBA draft, Kentucky is a potential Final Four team. He’s a dominating rebounder and low-post scorer.
Think DeMarcus Cousins sans the emotional baggage.
Without him, the Wildcats are just another top 25 team and will need everything to fall into place to make a deep NCAA tournament run.
They still have a couple of talented freshmen who are ranked in Scout.com’s Top 10 for the Class of 2010 — guard Brandon Knight and forward Terrance Jones — as well as returning starter Darius Miller on the wing.
But they are far from intimidating with Kanter sitting on the sidelines — or potentially back overseas.
Calipari will either have to play small-ball and go with a four-guard lineup or use Josh Harrellson or Eloy Vargas — both of whom are more suited to come off the bench for a team contending for an SEC championship.
That is, unless Kanter somehow wins his appeal later this month.
It appears unlikely, but if anyone can pull it off, it’s Calipari.
That’s why just about everyone — even prep school powerhouse Oak Hill Academy — took a pass on Kanter.
Except for Calipari.
Calipari’s reputation is already cemented. Sure, he hasn’t been directly tied to his previous institutions — UMass and Memphis — vacating their Final Four appearances. However, Calipari was in charge of the program when Marcus Camby took money from agents and Derrick Rose’s SAT score was deemed invalid.
Taking a shot on Kanter was worth it for Calipari. It wouldn’t alter the perception, anyway, and anything that had been given to Kanter back in his days with Fenerbahce came prior to Kentucky jumping into the fray.
After all, Kanter, who will be allowed to practice with the team while Kentucky appeals the NCAA’s ruling, is a difference maker.
With the relentless big man, who is projected by many NBA executives as a top-five pick in the next NBA draft, Kentucky is a potential Final Four team. He’s a dominating rebounder and low-post scorer.
Think DeMarcus Cousins sans the emotional baggage.
Without him, the Wildcats are just another top 25 team and will need everything to fall into place to make a deep NCAA tournament run.
They still have a couple of talented freshmen who are ranked in Scout.com’s Top 10 for the Class of 2010 — guard Brandon Knight and forward Terrance Jones — as well as returning starter Darius Miller on the wing.
But they are far from intimidating with Kanter sitting on the sidelines — or potentially back overseas.
Calipari will either have to play small-ball and go with a four-guard lineup or use Josh Harrellson or Eloy Vargas — both of whom are more suited to come off the bench for a team contending for an SEC championship.
That is, unless Kanter somehow wins his appeal later this month.
It appears unlikely, but if anyone can pull it off, it’s Calipari.
November 9, 2010
Enes Kanter FAQ
Brett Dawson
UK beat writer
UK beat writer
I did a radio interview today during which I was asked one of the many Enes Kanter questions that pop up in my e-mail inbox and when I'm out in Lexington, and it occurred to me that part of the reason I get asked these things so much is that I haven't really provided you a one-stop shop to read what I know (and don't) about Kanter at this point.
In the interest of correcting that oversight, here's a Kanter FAQ:
Q: Why exactly isn't Kanter playing?
A: His amateur status remains under review by the NCAA, which is examining benefits he received while playing for a pro club, Fenerbahce Ulker, in his native Turkey. For some background on both sides of the issue, you can read this New York Times piece from September with quotes from Fenerbahce's GM, and this Sporting News piece that features an e-mail interview with Kanter's father.
Q: UK opens the season on Friday. Any chance that we'll know the NCAA's ruling on Kanter before then?
A: I wouldn't expect it. Wouldn't rule it out, either. There's no way of knowing a definitive timetable. This we do know: there's no rule or policy that requires the NCAA to have a decision in place when the season starts.
Q: Is there any chance Kanter won't be eligible at all?
A: Sure. No outcome in this case should be surprising. The NCAA's decision could be ipacted by factors we're not even aware of. Because neither the NCAA nor UK is discussing it, we simply don't have all the facts.
Q: What's taking so long?
A: Again, we don't know for sure because of the lack of information from either side. But here's a guess. This is a complicated process. The NCAA seems to have received conflicting information from the Turkish pro club and the Kanter family. Sorting out the facts can't be easy. And this has the potential to be a landmark NCAA ruling, one that will be cited in future cases in which a college basketball program recruits a European player who's played for a club. The NCAA doesn't want to get it wrong.
Q: OK, hypothetically speaking, let's say the NCAA suspends Kanter for 10 games, but it doesn't make the announcement until five games into the season. Would the five games Kanter had already missed count as "time already served" on his suspension?
A: Almost certainly. That's the general rule at the NCAA, but spokesman Chuck Wynne cautions there are no absolutes. In an e-mail, Wynne -- who was speaking about NCAA cases in general; he can't address Kanter specifically -- wrote:
In most cases, the answer is yes. But every situation is unique. Ultimately, the outcome is based on the specific facts of the situation. Some general reasons why the games wouldn’t count would be something like the student-athlete being academically ineligible to compete or is injured and wouldn’t be available to play to begin with.
Q: What are you hearing about the odds that Kanter will be eligible?
A: I get this a lot, and the truth is, I'm hearing the same things you're hearing: a lot of speculation. If you see or hear anyone discussing a probable number of games Kanter will have to sit or a date by which this will all be resolved, take it with a grain of salt. The people who have any clue what's going on in this case aren't talking about it. As Matt Jones noted on Kentucky Sports Radio, this is the biggest story around UK basketball right now, and as soon as anyone in the media hears anything authoritative, it's going to spread like wildfire. Trust me, if the NCAA makes a ruling on Kanter, you'll know about it in a hurry.
Q: How good is this guy, anyway?
A: He's good. I've seen Kanter practice a few times, and he's athletic and skilled. Where I think he'd make the biggest difference for UK is as a rebounder. He's great at it. Offensively, Kanter's being overrated a little, at least based on what I've seen. He's a good player with skills around the basket, and he's a tremendous athlete for a guy his size. But he's still learning to play in the post. Kanter dunks with ferocity and he has a nice shooting touch, but fans expecting a Turkish DeMarcus Cousins are probably going to be disappointed.
Q: Any predictions on what will happen?
A: Nope. But here's a source you can ask.
In the interest of correcting that oversight, here's a Kanter FAQ:
Q: Why exactly isn't Kanter playing?
A: His amateur status remains under review by the NCAA, which is examining benefits he received while playing for a pro club, Fenerbahce Ulker, in his native Turkey. For some background on both sides of the issue, you can read this New York Times piece from September with quotes from Fenerbahce's GM, and this Sporting News piece that features an e-mail interview with Kanter's father.
Q: UK opens the season on Friday. Any chance that we'll know the NCAA's ruling on Kanter before then?
A: I wouldn't expect it. Wouldn't rule it out, either. There's no way of knowing a definitive timetable. This we do know: there's no rule or policy that requires the NCAA to have a decision in place when the season starts.
Q: Is there any chance Kanter won't be eligible at all?
A: Sure. No outcome in this case should be surprising. The NCAA's decision could be ipacted by factors we're not even aware of. Because neither the NCAA nor UK is discussing it, we simply don't have all the facts.
Q: What's taking so long?
A: Again, we don't know for sure because of the lack of information from either side. But here's a guess. This is a complicated process. The NCAA seems to have received conflicting information from the Turkish pro club and the Kanter family. Sorting out the facts can't be easy. And this has the potential to be a landmark NCAA ruling, one that will be cited in future cases in which a college basketball program recruits a European player who's played for a club. The NCAA doesn't want to get it wrong.
Q: OK, hypothetically speaking, let's say the NCAA suspends Kanter for 10 games, but it doesn't make the announcement until five games into the season. Would the five games Kanter had already missed count as "time already served" on his suspension?
A: Almost certainly. That's the general rule at the NCAA, but spokesman Chuck Wynne cautions there are no absolutes. In an e-mail, Wynne -- who was speaking about NCAA cases in general; he can't address Kanter specifically -- wrote:
In most cases, the answer is yes. But every situation is unique. Ultimately, the outcome is based on the specific facts of the situation. Some general reasons why the games wouldn’t count would be something like the student-athlete being academically ineligible to compete or is injured and wouldn’t be available to play to begin with.
Q: What are you hearing about the odds that Kanter will be eligible?
A: I get this a lot, and the truth is, I'm hearing the same things you're hearing: a lot of speculation. If you see or hear anyone discussing a probable number of games Kanter will have to sit or a date by which this will all be resolved, take it with a grain of salt. The people who have any clue what's going on in this case aren't talking about it. As Matt Jones noted on Kentucky Sports Radio, this is the biggest story around UK basketball right now, and as soon as anyone in the media hears anything authoritative, it's going to spread like wildfire. Trust me, if the NCAA makes a ruling on Kanter, you'll know about it in a hurry.
Q: How good is this guy, anyway?
A: He's good. I've seen Kanter practice a few times, and he's athletic and skilled. Where I think he'd make the biggest difference for UK is as a rebounder. He's great at it. Offensively, Kanter's being overrated a little, at least based on what I've seen. He's a good player with skills around the basket, and he's a tremendous athlete for a guy his size. But he's still learning to play in the post. Kanter dunks with ferocity and he has a nice shooting touch, but fans expecting a Turkish DeMarcus Cousins are probably going to be disappointed.
Q: Any predictions on what will happen?
A: Nope. But here's a source you can ask.
courier-journial.com
November 5, 2010
November 2, 2010
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