Coach Calipari always said that if Kanter played at Kentucky, he would have been the #1 pick in the 2011 draft. Having seen him play for three seasons, I am not quite sure that is true or if he would have lived up to that #1 status. If Kanter played that one season at UK, where would he have been drafted and do you think that one year under Coach Cal and playing competitively throughout a college season would have dramatically improved Kanter's skills/confidence today?
IF KANTER PLAYED AT KENTUCKY...
- Thread starter Jeffrey32
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No, he would have still sucked ***.
Personally, I think if he played at UK, he would have dominated the paint in college basketball given his sheer brute force. He would have been a men among boys. But I think we would have also more clearly have seen some of his weaknesses, such as defense, lack of hops, and being guarded by longer athletics defenders. Coach Cal and playing in the ultra competitive UK atmosphere would have improved some of those aspects and especially his game awareness. I think he would have went #2 in the draft, but not #1 and might be a half-season ahead of his current progress.
I still think Kanter is a good player. He just has a lot of the same strengths and weaknesses that Al Jefferson has. He is what he is.
He's too big to be super quick, and he's not big enough to really defend the paint at the NBA level.
He's too big to be super quick, and he's not big enough to really defend the paint at the NBA level.
addictionary
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He was not that obviously bad before actually. He kinda retarded down at defense in time.
I just can't imagine Kanter being that good at UK. Cal likes players who play defense. That is why Wiltjer didn't play much, he couldn't play defense. How many minutes would Cal have given Kanter? Don't give me those BS comments Cal made pre-draft about Kanter, he was just helping to hype out one of his players, they can't be taken as sincere comments.
He played against much less athletic and smaller competition.
The Blue Elephant
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Remember when Kanter was playing in summerleague? Remember Kanter in youth Europian tournaments? Remember Kanter in Nike Hoops summit? I think it would have been like that.
I still think Kanter would have gone top 5. He wouldn't have looked worse than Tristan Thompson or Jan Vesely.
addictionary
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That is a big part obviously. But I see a lot of other factors for Kanter's regress. The NBA game being too fast for him is one. Below the rim plays under the basket pulled his confidence down. He cannot get adapted to team game because he always single handedly took out lesser opponents. Never needed much teamwork. That lack of experience and IQ is his mentors' fault for not leading him to gain some Euro experience and instead pushing him into entering a ****ty lockout draft since they knew he would get a higher pick than usual. I think Enes was always in wrong hands. He is a fine example of the importance of having the right people around you and playing at the right place if you are a bball player to develop.
fishonjazz
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Would Kentucky have played more zone to hide his defense?
fishonjazz
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Kanter was not so hated before this season iirc
candrew
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Kanter would have been a low end double-double guy at UK - probably 12/10. His footwork was more refined than any big man in the country at that time and he could have bullied a lot of smaller players (half the teams in the country have Centers under 6"10") down low.
He still goes top 5 if he played; but no way #1
He still goes top 5 if he played; but no way #1
They got Alec Burks too!
Overall, I think that will be looked at as a decent draft with a few regular all-stars, and a lot of solid starters and rotation guys that will play 10 years.