Draft Profile: Enes Kanter *post 38 brief review of workout from Raptors.com*

[pesterm1]

Check this out: Chard Ford Interviews Enes Kaner

Describes himself as a player: Tough, Rebounder, and a winner.

this guys arms look rediculously long. looks young still i wouldnt doubt if he still grew and inche. at this point i think i want williams or kanter, kanter might be the best player

Check out the video

http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=6540086
my bad...forgot the link

[Tim W.]

Just saw this video. Gotta say he has some surprisingly good handles. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yTaOwRLXPV4

My biggest question about Williams is whether he can be a good defender in the NBA. If he can't, then I don't want him. I'm not asking him to be an elite defender, but if he doesn't have the ability to defend the 3 well, then that's a problem.

[Raptorsss]

DWill is another Thaddeus Young nothing more.

[Apollo]

Enes Kanter is an outside shot now but as Tim mentioned in another thread, things really may hinge on what Cleveland wants to do with that #4 pick.

[Matt52]

Enes Kanter is an outside shot now but as Tim mentioned in another thread, things really may hinge on what Cleveland wants to do with that #4 pick.

Jeff and a few other places on the net have talked about Toronto and Utah getting something done with 3 and 5 (Kanter, Knight)depending on if Cleveland picks Irving #1.

However, there is no guarantee MIN doesn't pick Kanter at 2 as he seems to fit their need best outside Irving.

There is also no guarantee CLE doens't swing a deal with SAC for Knight if Utah doesn't select him as Knight would look really good next to Evans and Cousins - defensive PG who can spread the floor and spot up when Evans/Counsins get their touches.

[Tim W.]

I think a whole new roster fits Minnesota's need, but you could be right, and one never knows what Kahn is going to do. I mean, did anyone expect him to take Flynn where he did, especially after drafting Rubio ahead of him? He's certainly a big wildcard.

I still think Toronto has a good chance of being able to move up to the 2nd or 3rd pick.

[ceez]

For NBA executives in Chicago at the NBA pre-draft combine last week, seeing Enes Kanter on the court was akin to a Big Foot sighting. Kanter was a European basketball prodigy prior to coming to the United States. But since arriving here, the only actual games he and his size-16 shoes have played in were a few at Stoneridge Prep in California and in the 2010 Hoop Summit in Portland.

[+] EnlargeEnes Kanter
Sam Forencich/NBAE/Getty ImagesNot many folks have seen Kanter play, but he has All-Star potential.

Since the NCAA ruled Kanter permanently ineligible at Kentucky for receiving impermissible benefits from a Turkish professional team, he has been a mystery man to most basketball fans. So, in anticipation of him likely being taken among the first five selections in June's NBA Draft, here's the latest scouting report:

Playing background
While Kanter hadn't been well known to many in the NBA until recently, international scouts have been following him since he burst onto the scene as a 16-year-old. He not only appeared in Euroleague games for Fenerbache at that age, but also became, arguably, the dominant big man in his age group in Europe.

Last spring, against a very talented Team USA front line that consisted of Harrison Barnes, Jared Sullinger, Terrence Jones and Patric Young, Kanter broke Dirk Nowitzki's Hoop Summit scoring record by dropping 34 points in only 23 minutes. He was, at times, literally a man among boys.

Unfortunately, Hoop Summit is still not an event that is covered by most NBA decision-makers, so the performance could be judged only on video or by word-of-mouth from their scouts.

Future position
At 6-foot-11, 260 pounds, Kanter easily has the requisite size and mobility to play power forward and, at times, center in the NBA. While power forwards in the league come in all shapes and sizes, Kanter is a throwback to the days when they operated around the basket and didn't mind throwing their weight around. Given the success that guys like Zach Randolph, LaMarcus Aldridge and Al Horford are having, teams are looking for someone like Kanter who can match up physically with them.

Athleticism
While Kanter will never be confused with a track athlete, he is surprisingly athletic for his body type and runs the floor easily for a man his size. In addition, he has pretty good lift and is a reasonably good "second jumper" off his feet.

Kanter was impressive at the combine because it was evident that he was in near-peak condition after spending the last few weeks at Tim Grover's ATTACK Gym. NBA teams seemed to be impressed with the work he has put in, especially after missing the entire basketball season.

Skill level
Kanter will spend most of his NBA career around the basket and, to that end, he has fundamentally sound low-post footwork. In addition, he possesses a nice shooting touch inside and can shoot the turnaround jump shot and the jump hook. Given that he is a big man who has often been double-teamed, he has a good passing aptitude and court vision.

What will surprise fans is how well he can shoot from the perimeter. Again, his shooting fundamentals are very sound and he will be able to be accurate out to the NBA 3-point line. I witnessed a private workout at ATTACK last week and came away impressed with that aspect of his game.

Disposition
Kanter has always loved contact and always competed with a fiery mentality. It is a part of his basketball DNA. So, the combination of that attitude about physical play and his body type will likely keep him close to the basket most of the time. While he'll get pushed around early in his career, it shouldn't be long before the 19-year-old is dishing out as much as he is getting.

Aptitude
Although Kanter could not play for Kentucky this past season, he was tutored in the NBA game by the Wildcats' coaching staff every day. Kenny Payne, Rod Strickland and Tony Delk all played in the league and worked hard to develop Kanter's NBA game, especially Payne. How much it helps Kanter may not be quantifiable, but it adds another layer of preparation for him.

Best-case scenario: Al Horford
Before you sneeze at the comparison, remember that they are similarly built and have a similar playing style. In some ways, Kanter is ahead of the curve in comparison as he starts his NBA career two years younger than Horford.

Horford, who attended high school in Lansing, Mich., was not recruited by Tom Izzo and Michigan State and was, at best, considered a top-50 recruit when he signed with Florida. After averaging 10 points and almost eight rebounds in Gainesville, Horford was the No. 3 selection in the 2007 draft as a 21-year-old junior. This season, he made his first appearance in the All-Star Game.

Even if Kanter is not an All-Star, he has a chance to have the same career trajectory as Horford. At worst, he is a good player for Kanter to model his game after.

Summary
While international players are still met with skepticism by some, ultimately evaluating them is no different than evaluating a player in the Big Ten or ACC. International draft busts are not the only kind found in the first round.

Kanter's situation is unique in that there is a small body of work that shows a high level of potential for success in the NBA. Some NBA teams will see Kanter's situation as a crapshoot. Cleveland has three viable options with the No. 1 pick -- Kanter, Duke's Kyrie Irving and Arizona's Derrick Williams. If I were the Cavaliers, I'd analyze Kanter closely before passing on him at No. 1. I don't see him being available when they select again at No.4.

From Insider http://insider.espn.go.com/nba/blog?...aft&id=6586882

[ceez]

if cleveland get irving AND kanter they'll be a hell of a force for the considerable future

[Apollo]

I'm not sold on that. They'll still be a lottery team next season. They don't have a very good core right now. It would give them a big boost but it still wouldn't put them past what the Raptors have right now for example. Irving, Kanter and Hickson is an alright core with some big question marks. They're capped and won't be players in free agency as is this off-season and the next.

[ceez]

oh im sure they'll be in the lotto again next year. sorry, i didn't mean immediately.

[ceez]

i thought they were one of the teams with money to spend? they'd certainly have to move baron davis, and that's going to be next to impossible.

[Apollo]

Source: HoopsHype.com

Looks like I was off a year. They have will have wiggle room next off-season
but shave off $10M from the number above due to the two top 4 picks.

Also consider JJ Hickson is a RFA next year and may draw league wide attention.
He's not included in the above numbers for 2012/13.

[Tim W.]

oh im sure they'll be in the lotto again next year. sorry, i didn't mean immediately.

I agree. Getting both Irving AND Kanter would be a home run and a great running head start for the future. It would also piss me off a little, quite frankly.

[Raptors_]

I agree. Getting both Irving AND Kanter would be a home run and a great running head start for the future. It would also piss me off a little, quite frankly.

don't be we'll still blow them out next season.

[Apollo]

Draftexpress.com now has him going 6th overall.

Best Case: Kevin Love
Worst Case: Rafael Araujo

Personally I don't think his game is anything like Araujo's.

NBAdraft.net has him going 3rd still.

NBA Comparison: Al Horford

[Matt52]

Draftexpress.com now has him going 6th overall.


Personally I don't think his game is anything like Araujo's.

NBAdraft.net has him going 3rd still.

Lets go Draft Express! *clap* *clap* *clapclapclap*

[Matt52]

Ryan Feldman: If Jazz/Kanter really liked each other, they'd say the meeting/workout went great. But they didn't, so somebody is unhappy. Twitter

Speculation - but at this time of year what else is there for a Raptors fan?

[Matt52]

Kanter works out for Toronto in Chicago:

June 6, 2011, 4:55 PM

Leading up to this year's 2011 NBA Draft on June 23rd, Enes Kanter remains one of its most mysterious prospects. A dominant performance in the 2010 Nike Hoops Summit generated a ton of buzz, but that proved to be his last major in-game competition for quite some time after the big man was declared ineligible to play for the University of Kentucky by the NCAA.

That's kept Kanter out of competitive basketball for over a year, but that seems to have done little to affect his draft stock. He had a strong showing at the NBA Draft Combine in Chicago and rather than travel to various cities to work out for clubs, Kanter has remained in the Windy City and brought team reps to him at ATTACK Athletics.

On Friday, it was the Jazz (owners of the third overall pick) getting a private workout with Kanter and today, it was the Raptors' turn.

"We went out last night, we had a nice face-to-face meeting," said Raptors senior director of scouting Jim Kelly via telephone after the workout. "We met the staff, we met him, met the people that are going to be working with him. I thought that went excellent. We had a great discussion last night and followed it up with a workout today."

Obviously the Raptors' brass would have preferred to see Kanter in more of a game-type simulation ("In a perfect world we always like to see them go five-on-five for a 40-minute game," Kelly said), but if there's anything to be gleaned from Monday's session, it's that Kanter used his time away from competitive basketball wisely. He was reportedly on the floor for 75 minutes along with Raptors assistant coach Scott Roth and Kelly was highly complimentary of Kanter’s strength and conditioning.

With reports of a great motor, excellent touch around the rim and impressive range with his face-up game, Kanter could easily be viewed by the Raptors as the best player available if he's on the board at five. But the natural follow-up question is can he also address a need for this team and play centre?

Kelly said that Kanter is "probably as strong as any five in the draft right now," but was not ready to project him as a centre at the NBA level just yet.

"I wish I could tell you I have enough of a handle and experience watching him play enough [to say] exactly where that I can put him in on the floor there," he said. "I think we have the hope that he can play the five, but we really haven't seen him in enough games on this level where you can actually be really 100 per cent sure."

Like many other top-ranked prospects, the Raptors' have been keeping tabs on Kanter for several years. But Monday's workout kicks off a critical stretch of final evaluations for a draft class that boasts plenty of intriguing talent, but is also dotted with just as many question marks.

Tuesday will see the first of four scheduled workouts at ACC with highly touted guards Brandon Knight and Kemba Walker expected to attend; with reports suggesting that upwards of eight other prospects may also be present at ACC.

http://www.nba.com/raptors/news/raptorsdotcom_060611

[slaw]

Sounds like Jim Kelly is basically confirming what everyone knows about the guy: he has a good motor and a good skill level but the fact he hasn't played much in a year means there is some uncertainty about where he fits at the NBA level (4 or 5). I just can't imagine this guy is there at 5, though. If he pans out, he's better than anyone else you can get at 3 or 4....

[joey_hesketh]

Also keep in mind that Draftexpress is notorious for basing their player comparisons on what the guy looks like. haha