Despite the latest news about Enes Kanter, NBA experts expect that the 6-foot-11, 272-pound Turkish big man will still be a lottery pick in the 2011 NBA Draft.
“He’s a first-round pick,” said one Eastern Conference NBA scout. “He’s a lottery pick. It could affect him a couple of spots, but then again maybe not.
“There’s 30 teams. He’s highly skilled and he’s right at the top of the one of the very best guys in this class.”
Pete Thamel of The New York Times reported in Wednesday’s editions that Kanter, a freshman at Kentucky, received more than $100,000 in cash and benefits over three years from Fenerbahce Ulker, his Turkish pro team.
In response to the report, Kentucky issued the following statement: “The University of Kentucky is working diligently with the NCAA on this matter and we fully support Enes Kanter and his family through this ongoing NCAA review. We will have no further comment.”
Even as he is being investigated by the NCAA, DraftExpress.com projects Kanter as the No. 12 pick in the 2011 draft. NBADraft.net has him going No. 3 overall.
“He’s very high on the NBA radar,” the NBA scout said. “He played in the Hoop Summit out in Portland [Oregon]. He played terrific. It was a showcase for him with the whole NBA in attendance playing against a lot of players that on a lot of nights will be better than a lot of those he will play against in college.”
On April 11, playing against an American team that featured North Carolina’s Harrison Barnes, Kentucky’s Terrence Jones and Ohio State’s Jared Sullinger, Kanter had 34 points and 13 rebounds. He surpassed the Hoop Summit world team record of 33 points set by Dirk Nowitzki in 1998.
“I played with my team,” Kanter told reporters that night. “I had 34 points because of my team.”
If the NCAA refuses to grant Kanter clearance to play for Kentucky this season, he could opt to play overseas for a year and then enter the 2011 NBA draft.
Despite the high estimations of Kanter, Ryan Blake, assistant director of NBA scouting, cautions against projecting players as lottery picks too early.
Blake could not speak specifically about Kanter, but said:
“In terms of anybody that’s an underclassmen or whether or not the guy is a senior, we still don’t know where anybody’s gonna go in the draft.
“Listen, we’ve had guys in the past that are young high school kids that have been projected by either the media or people who don’t know the players to be lottery picks and once they enter college find out they’re not worthy of that.”
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JessieWildcat / September 8, 2010
Good Stuff AZ.
Kentucky’s KANTER got CASH MONEY.
Parents got paid since KANTER was 14.
KANTER is done ,for college.
The boyz in NY times are reading your blog.
Your blog talks about the Kanter situation and what was goind on with the Turkey club team.
Did Kentucky believe that it could get it through without public awareness.
NOT going to happen.
What about Kansas Gangster U and the dirty Lew.
The AD is forced out.
And did WARD just eliminated Kansas.
LEW could not take the stuff going on with Kansas.
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JessieWildcat / September 8, 2010
AZ,
Last week, you said…there is some hope for Kansas fans.
HOLD UP.
After the news coming from Kansas Gangster U…and dirty LEW.
Turner is no longer considering Gangster U ,as the leader.
Lost another one Woody.
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BostonCat / September 8, 2010
of course the turkish GM didnt hand over records indicating such payments took place. gee….wonder why.
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cmdale / September 8, 2010
CASHED CHECKS.
> Perhaps most important in the eyes of the N.C.A.A. is that during Kanter’s final season with Fenerbahce he played in at least nine games with the senior club and drew a salary on par with those players. Karakas said that meant an initial payment of $19,800 and monthly payments of $6,500 during Kanter’s final season with the team.
Karakas declined to show a reporter records of the payments. But he said Fenerbahce’s lawyers have sent housing records and bank records to the N.C.A.A. showing that the Kanters deposited checks from the club at a Turkish bank known as Türkiye Finans Kat{inodot}l{inodot}m Bankasi. <
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JessieWildcat / September 8, 2010
AZ,
Any truth to the….
That Kentucky was very well aware of the CASH MONEY to Kanter.
And kentucky attempted to “get the right paperwork” in order to clear Kanter.
Remember that Washington had Kanter as a commit and DROPPED him quickly.
Washington knew about IT…so Kentucky and the ncaa must of known about IT.
Whatz up…
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CoachJ / September 8, 2010
Of course Kanter was paid, just as nearly every high level prep kid in America is…for their expenses.
The figure that the NYT is reporting that Kanter was paid is way off. It’s just an exaggeration to protect the club in Turkey. The Kanter’s have kept every receipt, and have every thing they need to prove their case.
WHY is this kid in America trying to play college ball, when he could be making big money in Europe right now? Because he has always wanted to play college ball, and he and his family have done everything to protect that dream.
Anybody who reads Pete “I love to get one side of the story and mis-quote every one” Thamel and thinks that they are reading truth are fooling themselves.
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BostonCat / September 8, 2010
International basketball is pissing in their pants now that the NCAA did away with the 1 and 1 rule. they are afraid of losing their cash cows by milking NBA teams for transfer fees and player rights if these kids start coming america for college.
so make up a dollar amount, hope it changes public perception and it works out. dont think it will since the kanter family has documented every expense for years and is far more credible then some turkish team who has thrown a good kid under the bus and has investments to protect.
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kungpaochicken / September 8, 2010
whatever helps you sleep at night bostoncat…
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BostonCat / September 8, 2010
and what helps you sleep at night? dreaming of that one day uk will get busted, that one of these bogus stories will actually contain some details and come true, one day you will actually land the recruits cal is getting?
i sleep very well knowing uk will have a top team next year. has the #1 class in 2011 on the way. and a major haul of 2012 recruits lined up. i sleep very well.
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JessieWildcat / September 9, 2010
Whatz UP.
Do you honestly believe that Kentucky received all the documents from the Turkey team?
Absolutely not.
And I am sure Kentucky is happy with very limited documents from Turkey club team.
The ncaa is not smart enough to figure it out.
Dig a little more and you will get more answers.
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