While Kentucky continues to await an NCAA ruling on freshman center Enes Kanter – he’s currently unable to practice with the team until further notice – his dad has plenty to say about the subject.
No surprise, he’s more than a little unhappy with Fenerbahce Ulker, the Turkish basketball club standing in the way of Kanter playing for the Wildcats. Dr. Mehmet Kanter says his family turned down contract offers worth millions of dollars “more than a few times” so Enes could play at a United States College.
“They are trying to set an example with my son to coming generations in Turkey, so they can control and use the talent and youth any way they like to,” he told Mike DeCourcy of the Sporting News.
For those unfamiliar with Enes Kanter’s saga (where have you been?), the 6-11 center has been trying to establish NCAA eligibility since choosing to play at Kentucky. He never signed a contract with the club and maintains he only received compensation in the form of expenses, as allowed by NCAA rules.
Fenerbahce’s general manager, Nedim Karakas, told the N.Y. Times last month that Enes was paid a salary and about $100,000 in cash and benefits during a three-year period in which he played for the club.
Thus, it’s a “he said, he said” situation.
Kanter’s father maintains the family knew what was in store for Enes if he signed with the club. And that was the last thing the family wanted.
“In Turkey as a youngster if you register with a club — which is only option if you like to play and practice – it’s impossible to go to another club unless they let you go because they don’t think you are a good enough player for them. So basically you become property of this club. I don’t think that is right and I didn’t want this for my son,” he told DeCourcy.
No word on when the NCAA will make its ruling.
Mike Miller’s also on Twitter @BeyndArcMMiller, usually talkin’ hoops. Click here for more.
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- William the Conqueror - Oct 6, 2010 at 10:15 AM
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Dr. Kanter, I’m sorry that you feel your son has been taken advantage of, but how do you think Americans feel about a pro playing in our NCAA college ranks? Do you think that’s fair?
If it’s fair, then the NCAA needs to allow all those young HS players whose friends and parents pushed them to enter the NBA draft, but never made it, allow them access to college now. And, what about all those underclassmen who felt they were ready for the pro’s but didn’t get drafted or didn’t make the cut, they too should be allowed to go back to school and play for their respective universities.
This situation gets more ridiculous every day. The only reason Kanter wants to play in the US is to be drafted next year by an NBA club. A one and done if I ever saw it. And, Calipari just wants victories; he doesn’t care whether Kanter gets an education, he wants that elusive NCAA title. Any way he can get it.
If Kanter does play, then the NCAA has lost all relativity and should be disbanded. Then, give back the Heisman to Reggie Bush, he did nothing more than Enes Kanter.
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- Brendon Lubbock - Oct 6, 2010 at 11:54 AM
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But now I have come to believe that the whole world is an puzzle, a harmless riddle that is made terrible by our own crazy attempt to interpret it as though it had an underlying truth.
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- Chas Alright - Oct 6, 2010 at 3:08 PM
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Kanter had originally planned on attending the University of Washington. Does he get all this micro-scrutiny had he stayed with his original decision, rather than committing to Kentucky?
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- William the Conqueror - Oct 7, 2010 at 2:51 PM
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Unfortunately, he would be under the same NCAA guidelines if he played for Washington rather than Kentucky. He’s still a pro under the strict definitions of a professional athlete.
If the NCAA won’t allow its D-1 players to play summer league ball, then why would they allow someone who’s taken a salary, expense money, housing and other tangibles to play college ball.
I don’t care if this guy wanted to play for my old alma mater, he’s a pro and that can’t be tolerated in any circumstance.
And, I played D-1 ball for another Wildcat powerhouse.
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- Mike - Oct 12, 2010 at 11:03 AM
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William,
Your post seems to forget that Dr. Kanter maintains that his son did not receive any benefits that would have damaged his amateur status. In fact being well aware of the NCAA’s requirements, he maintained meticulous records because he knew that they would be needed.
In keeping with your argument against allowing him eligibility, you also must believe that any U.S. player who attends an expensive prep school like Findlay Prep or countless others and receives a “scholarship” in excess of $40,000 a year is also a “professional” and should also be deemed ineligible.
You should examine this issue from all points of view and in order to maintain credibility, mention those differing view points. Unless to do so would render your view of the circumstances unsupportable.
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- Bingo - Oct 22, 2010 at 6:30 AM
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You should definately read more about this! Please!
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- Mama - Oct 24, 2010 at 4:16 PM
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As a mother of a D-1 player, I would like to put my two cents worth into this discussion. Even though my son has a scholarship, I have to pay a fortune for his support as a single parent with no help from anyone. He doesn’t have time to work and the NCAA doesn’t permit stipends, as they should. You talk about “expenses,” I have never gotten “expenses” from an athletic club. I have had to pay everything. People think that because you have a scholarship, everything is free. So, I have incurred a tremendous amount of debt in supporting my son. I hope that the NCAA will not allow an escape path for European players to be able to get paid and then enter the United States with amateur status, with a one and done path into the NBA. Where is the justice for those of us who have to do it the poverty, old fashioned way? They need to send a message to Europe.
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- thom adams - Oct 27, 2010 at 3:34 PM
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hellooo…
kanter was 14 years old during this disputed “professional” career, the same one which you don’t feel is “fair” to your little unfairly treated college boys…
whether or not he was paid as a pro, played like a pro, or just wants to be a pro in the NBA… your perspective is a tad skewed to act so offended by dr. kanter’s argument. why would you think players who opt for the draft no longer “have access” to college? perhaps it is YOU, not the NCAA who has lost “all relativity”.
everyone has an opinion, but yours smacks of ignorant homerism when you denigrate a coach for wanting victories. duh? get a grip dude…come out into the sunshine…
big bad kentucky will not huff and puff and blow your house down like you seem to fear…
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- Mama - Oct 27, 2010 at 7:21 PM
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To thom:
It doesn’t matter whether Enes and his family were being paid when he was born. What difference does it make that he was getting paid when he was only 14? My son has never gotten paid and I am in debt. Why should he get paid and his family get “expenses” that no one in the United States is entitled to? Then, he can float over here, speed to the head of the draft and get the big payday. People in Europe need to pay their dues as we are required to do or stay in Europe and play for the little payday.
