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SI Article: "Kanter passes first few tests but team workouts will be key"

M

memo is money

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Don't count out Kanter
The 19-year-old Turkish center is as big a mystery man as there is in this class. Literally.
The player who was stuck on the sidelines at Kentucky last season because he was ruled ineligible, measured out quite well, standing 6-foot-11 ¼ in shoes and weighing in at 259 pounds while proving to be incredibly well-conditioned. His body fat was just 5.9 percent, or a little more than half of expected No. 1 pick and former Duke point guard Kyrie Irving (10.2).
And according to his agent, Max Ergul, Kanter -- who is projected as a top-five pick despite the fact that teams haven't seen him play since last year's Nike Hoop Summit in Portland -- convinced NBA executives that he has the stamina to play heavy minutes right away.
He lasted approximately 21 minutes on a brutal treadmill test that includes steep inclines, declines and sprints, putting himself atop the big man class when it comes to being dedicated about his body.
"He went 21-plus minutes on the treadmill test, and only five guys -- plus Enes -- [did that] and four of them were guards," Ergul told SI.com. "[NBA officials] said that was the first time in the draft in modern history that had happened, that no 6-11-plus guys ever finished 21-minutes-plus on the treadmill test ... People don't realize how prepared this kid is, how dedicated he is."
Yet the talk surrounding Kanter in Chicago had much more to do with the fact that he didn't sit down for interviews with Utah (No. 3, No. 12 picks), Toronto (No. 5) and Milwaukee (No. 10). Those non-meetings raised questions about whether Kanter's camp was avoiding certain teams, but Ergul said that wasn't entirely the case. They were only avoiding the Bucks.
"The only one I really didn't care for him [to go to] is Milwaukee," Ergul said. "I'll be honest ... it came out all wrong. [Utah general manager] Kevin [O'Connor] knew about it ... We called them, and it was because in next two weeks I had a feeling we were going to see each other extensively, so there's no reason for that [interview].
"Kevin told me he's really impressed with the kid and he wants to have him in Utah and he'll also come to Chicago ... I apologized to him five times for it coming out wrong, even though I didn't do anything wrong. He knew we were going to see them."
Ergul also answered the questions about why Kanter sat down with teams that have picks much lower than Kanter is expected to be taken.
On a meeting with New Jersey (No. 27): "New owners [Russian Mikhail Prokhorov] have European ties, and they're moving to Brooklyn -- which has the No. 1 Turkish population -- so I wanted them to get to know Enes a little bit."
On a meeting with San Antonio (No. 29): "I think coach [Gregg] Popovich has an opinion that really matters. If [Detroit president of basketball operations] Joe Dumars or Pop calls me or [Lakers general manager] Mitch [Kupchak] and asks for an interview, I'm not going to deny that. They may or may not get him, but I will give them their seniority. They are the guys who earned it. It's the same thing with Kevin O'Connor."
There is another lottery team that did not meet with Kanter, though, as he did not sit down with Sacramento (No. 7 pick). Kanter, who has been working with famed trainer Tim Grover in Chicago for the past six weeks, plans on holding most of his workouts in Chicago and being selective about where he travels.
"Utah is coming here to Chicago, and we're going to go to Minnesota in the second half of June," Ergul said. "Toronto is coming here. Cleveland (Nos. 1 and 4 picks), we're trying to discussing logistics of dates and stuff."
As was reported here on Thursday, Houston (14th, 23rd picks) is interested in moving up in the draft. The source with knowledge of the Rockets' desires said they are hoping to do so to either nab Kanter or perhaps San Diego State small forward, Kawhi Leonard.
Because teams have only seen Kanter in person when he scored 34 points and grabbed 13 rebounds in the 2010 Nike Summit, his workouts will be key.
"I can now say that I've never seen him play live before," one executive who was at predraft camp said sarcastically. "But in the drill work, [Kanter] looked terrific."
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Read more: https://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2...3/predraft.camp.wrap/index.html#ixzz1NJVBJPI4
 
On a meeting with New Jersey (No. 27): "New owners [Russian Mikhail Prokhorov] have European ties, and they're moving to Brooklyn -- which has the No. 1 Turkish population -- so I wanted them to get to know Enes a little bit."
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OMG New Jersey wants Kanter. Harris and Kanter for Dwill!
 
I am leaning more and more towards Kanter as my choice for the #3 (assuming Williams and Irving are gone). Favors and Kanter is one athletic front court.
 
That's the thing about Kanter. There is no way to really evaluate him. For instance, on DX page, it says " DraftExpress: NBA exec: "If you were watching Enes Kanter or Nikola Vucevic for the 1st time yesterday, close your eyes and pick one of them from 10-20."
2011-05-20 11:45:52 From DraftExpress.com https://www.draftexpress.com/profile/Enes-Kanter-5168/#ixzz1NJXSYXsU
Really, this scout, PKM, and other folks who saw Kanter practice is the best info we got. I just don't see how based on that evidence one can gamble 3d pick in the draft.
 
Kanter is what, seven or eight years younger than Fat Al, and we know this about him without the former even playing a single college game.

He's in better shape and has better, almost unlimited, range on his shot.

It also seems evident that he invites contact rather than shies away from it, has a better basketball iq and work ethic (let's just look at body fat percentages and move on) from all accounts, and without even looking up his numbers, is a better passer because, well, can he be any worse than Fat "The Black Hole" Al? I'd say it's not a stretch to think that he will be able to rebound as well or better than Jefferson too though I won't fully assume that just yet.

So how can we not take this guy? Three years from now at age 21 or 22, he could be better than Al is currently. The guy has so few true red flags in my opinion, especially compared to Knight or the other guys predicted below him, and add in the fact that bigs are valued far more in the league and thus can be traded for more in return and it's a no-brainer to draft him. If he's gone, then we must go Derrick Williams and in my opinion, try to trade up from 12 to get Biyombo for we'll need his defense behind DWilly.
 
Sirkickyass said:
I'm sure he'd be awesome if you put a beer in front of the treadmill on a string and told him to run for it.
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A carrot on a stick in front of him definitely wouldn't do it. If this is Fes we are talking about, then it would have to be a brand new pack of Virginia Slims tied to a stick in front of his face and just out of his reach.
 
Big Al was the third highest scoring center in the league last year. Do you really think Kanter is better?
 
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