Now that the Eric Bledsoe situation is resolved and I am keeping good on my promise to not discuss it anymore, the biggest topic facing the Kentucky Wildcats is the eligibility of Kentucky center Enes Kanter. As we recall, we were told a couple of weeks ago that a resolution should be reached by now … so now I guess the Enes watch is going to be the biggest Wildcat fan pastime this week.
Gary Parrish of CBS Sports.com featured the Enes question prominently in his article of Friday and he mentioned that not only the SEC championship is at stake, but also the national title. Here is a bit of Parrish’s column as it pertains to Kanter and Kentucky:
"3. Kentucky’s John Calipari said Thursday that, in his mind, Enes Kanter is an amateur. Thoughts? I don’t doubt Calipari believes that in his mind, and if you listen to him long enough you’ll start to believe it in your mind, too. As I’ve said many times, there’s not a more convincing talker in college basketball than the man who led five first-round picks to 35 wins last season. The guy is unreal, gifted beyond belief. He is capable of convincing himself and anybody else of pretty much anything, and I mean that as the ultimate compliment. 4. Is that a nice way of saying Kanter isn’t an amateur in your mind? All I can tell you is that Calipari is the only coach I know who believes Kanter is an amateur. I’ve had coaches tell me they declined to recruit Kanter because they determined it would be “impossible” to get him eligible, had one coach tell me Kanter should be “ruled ineligible for life” because the 6-foot-11 center is clearly a professional (at least in that coach’s mind). There is no gray area. Calipari is on one side of this issue, every other coach is on the other. And before you suggest this is just the latest massive conspiracy against Calipari by jealous colleagues, understand that some of these conversations I’ve had about Kanter date to well before Kanter was committed to Kentucky, date to well before Kanter was even considering Kentucky. In other words, the general manager of a Turkish club telling the New York Times that Kanter was compensated like a professional jibes with everything else I’ve ever heard, and my guess — and I admit, it’s merely a guess because I’ve never seen any contracts or cancelled checks, nor has any other media member in this country, far as I know — is that it’s probably true. And yes, I realize the general manager has a motive to lie because the Turkish club stands to make money if Kanter plays in Europe rather than the SEC. I get that. But somebody having a motive to lie doesn’t mean they aren’t telling the truth. And it should be noted, it’s not like Calipari lacks a similar motive given that he gets paid millions to win games, and it’s easier to win games with Kanter than without him, but I digress. Either way, my point is this: Discounting the general manager’s comments strictly because of a perceived motive is just as foolish as taking his comments at face value, but I’m not here to blindly vouch for the guy. All I’m saying is that what the general manager said falls in line with everything else I’ve heard, and what Calipari thinks does not. As always, take that for what it’s worth. 5. So you completely disagree with Calipari? Actually, no. The lead quote in the wire story on this subject is as follows: “The kid, in my mind, is an amateur. He never signed anything. He played on a club over in Europe. But how they rule that thing out, I have no idea.” I agree with Calipari on the last part. I have no idea how the NCAA will, as he put it, “rule that thing out.” What I do know is that it could determine who wins the SEC and, perhaps, the national title."
A lot of this is Parrish’s opinion, which of course he is entitles to. Greg Doyel, also of CBSsports.com, shares the view with Parrish that Kanter is the key to the national title, but he feels that Enes Kanter will play at some point this season:
"“First, I expect him to play. Not the whole season, but I expect him to play. And when he does play, UK becomes the best team in the country. Without him, UK is a tourney team. With him, it’s the No. 1 seed. Enes plays after about 10 games off, is my guess.”"
And in case you are not “Enes-ed out” already, the “Free Enes” rap songs are being released. End the madness.
Free Enes.
Keep following www.http://wildcatbluenation.com for the best in Kentucky basketball and football news, rumors, and opinions. By Kentucky fans for Kentucky fans