John Calipari spoke to the media today as apart of his weekly routine before UK takes on Auburn tomorrow, but he had a lot more to say about Enes Kanter and the ruling that was made last week. Both Calipari and UK Media Spokesperson DeWayne Peevy spoke to the media and said that the Kanter family was told to go through with the appeal process after he was originally ruled ineligible in November, according to Matt May from The Cats Pause.
“We were told to appeal,” Calipari said. “If this was black and white you just say, ‘Look, this kid is never going to play so do whatever you want but here’s why.’ Why would we do anything? You want to put a young man through that, just say it. If it was your son why would put him through that for eight months?
According to the NCAA, Kanter was given more expenses than what is allowed, which is what led to him being ruled permanently ineligible last week despite the appeal. Although Kanter did not have a contract with his team in Turkey, Fenerbahce, Calipari and UK were told that the amount of money he received did not matter when it came to the appeal. “We were told it didn’t matter if it was $500 more (than expenses) that he would not be able to play,” Calipari said. “That’s what they’re saying. It’s not the money. It’s not the amount of money, it’s that, ‘you got money over (expenses) so you’re out.’ Dad says it was for (necessary) expenses and they say it was pay. He used it for expenses and it’s all documented but it doesn’t matter, if you got money over expenses – $400, $600 – it doesn’t matter, you’re out. That’s where we all live now.”
The NCAA was firm on their decision, and NCAA President Mark Emmert made it clear with his comments yesterday through an interview with Seth Davis of CBS Sports. He says that he wholeheartedly agreed with the ruling. He said that the decision wasn’t one based on Kentucky or Calipari, despite the fact that Emmert was the School President at Washington when Kanter originally committed to them in November 2009. “The facts are utterly unambiguous, the rule is utterly unambiguous, and the intention of the membership is utterly unambiguous,” Emmert said. “The vast majority of people in collegiate basketball knew that this was an issue with Enes Kanter. Kentucky knew it. Everybody who talked with him knew it. So I’m amazed that people are shocked by the fact that he is ineligible.” Coach Calipari said that he believes since a decision had already been made, that it is useless for the media to keep commenting on the situation. “It’s amazing in all the comments, you made your decision, why keep commenting? It’s making (Kanter) bigger and bigger and bigger. They’ve made him bigger than life. He’s huge here. He’s huge in Turkey.”
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