TUR/USA – Kanter denied by NCAA
LEXINGTON (NCAA) – Turkey rising star Enes Kanter will not get the opportunity to play for American college basketball powerhouse Kentucky after the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) upheld an earlier ruling that declared him permanently ineligible. The decision was made after it was revealed that the 18-year-old received over $33,000 ...
LEXINGTON (NCAA) – Turkey rising star Enes Kanter will not get the opportunity to play for American college basketball powerhouse Kentucky after the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) upheld an earlier ruling that declared him permanently ineligible.
The decision was made after it was revealed that the 18-year-old received over $33,000 while on the books of Turkish side Fenerbahce in 2008-2009.
The verdict means Kanter cannot play, practice or travel with the Wildcats.
Kentucky head coach John Calipari argued that some $20,000 of the money had gone toward the player’s educational expenses, but NCAA bylaws state that a player who receives money above necessary expenses is considered to be a professional.
“The final decision of the reinstatement committee is completely compatible with the collegiate model of sports our members have developed, since he received a significant amount of money, above his actual expenses, from a professional team prior to coming from college,” said NCAA vice president of academic and membership affairs Kevin Lennon.
Kanter is projected as a top 10 pick in the NBA draft and is expected to spend the coming months preparing for that big day.
He burst onto the scene at the 2009 U18 European Championship in Metz, France, averaging 18.6 points and 16.4 rebounds and helped Turkey to a bronze medal.
Kanter truly caught the eye in the USA by setting a new scoring record with 34 points to go along with 13 rebounds in the 2010 edition of the Nike Hoop Summit, an annual game that pits the best American high-school age basketball players against international players aged 19 or younger.
The 211cm (6ft 11in) big man did not play for his senior national team in last year’s FIBA World Championship held in his home country and is expected to miss out on this summer’s EuroBasket in Turkey to favour his NBA career.
Kanter became a cult figure in his time on the Lexington campus. He was introduced to a rousing ovation during Big Blue Madness in October, walking across a smoke-filled stage while ominous music played over the speakers.
Fans had taken up a “Free Enes” movement after the ruling was first made on 11 November.
FIBA