| Enes Kanter |
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| Team: Fenerbahce Ulker, International |
| Physicals | Positions | Rankings | Misc |
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H: 6' 9"
W: 0 lbs
Bday: 05/20/1992
(17 Years Old)
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Current: C
NBA: PF/C
Possible: PF/C
| Round: 1 Pick: 12 in 2011 Mock Draft
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High School:
Hometown: Zurich, Switzerland
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| Basic Per Game Statistics - Comprehensive Stats - Statistical Top 25s |
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| European Roundup: Llull Sparks Real Madrid
October 31, 2008
Enes Kanter is entering Ricky Rubio territory, seeing a handful of minutes in the Euroleague competition despite being six months away from turning 17 years old. The 1992-born Turkish center saw 10 minutes of playing time today against Alba Berlin, not disappointing his head coach Bogdan Tanjevic by delivering a solid 5 points and 3 rebounds in the process. Kanter saw even more playing time last weekend in the local TBL, getting 21 minutes in which he delivered 8 points and an awesome 12 rebounds against Kepez. We suspect this is NOT the last you’ll be hearing about him.
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U-18 European Championship: From a Distance
August 6, 2008
A cadet topping the rebounding ranking in a European junior championship isn’t the most common thing seen in basketball. Actually, I’m not even sure it has ever happened. Enes Kanter did it.
Showing comparable strength to a junior -if not superior- in his 6-9 body, Kanter is not about jumping out of the gym. The kid shows decent athleticism, but his leaping ability is not top notch. On the contrary, he relies on his superb positioning, willingness to pursue the ball on both ends of the court, and excellent timing. Kanter uses both arms, and isn’t scared to leave the ground even in horizontal moves (many players fear for their ankles in these situations), so his rebounding range is pretty good. He also enjoys terrific hands to grab the ball, and the poise to know when to make every effort. The only downside we see in his rebounding display is the fact that he’s not much about boxing out opponents, as much as he is about going out and grabbing the rebound, which isn’t necessarily the best option team-wise.
Averaging 14.6 captures per game, Kanter surpassed the 20-rebound mark on three separate occasions, and earned himself a place on the all-tournament team, despite the fact that Turkey finished ninth in the championship.
Moving to his offensive game, he’s mostly an off-the-ball guy. He produces near the basket out of dishes from his teammates, showing great poise to finish under the rim against tall opponents, and of course, off offensive rebounds. He’s also rather active setting picks, but rarely produces after rolling inside (a move he doesn’t execute with enough faith). But you can also see him playing in the low post, being aggressive and physical, often pounding his opponent with his left shoulder to look for a right-handed hook or a pivot move to get by his match-up. In very rare occasions you will witness Kanter putting the ball on the floor at this stage; anyway, he usually uses his right hand, but shows average results. He can also attempt a jump-shot with decent range (he even connected on a three-pointer during the championship) but still with mixed results. Defensively, he’s not a great intimidator, but shows decent lateral mobility and positioning to stay between the ball and the basket.
We still don’t see out-of-this-world potential in Kanter, but given his youth, it’s better to be cautious about his future. For the moment, the guy looks like the early favorite to clinch MVP honors in the upcoming U-16 European Championship (as long as Turkey stays competitive). By the way, regarding the real birthdate of Kanter-- a subject of controversy considering that he looks mature way beyond his age-- someone pointed to me his place of birth: it has to be pretty difficult to play with your birthdate in Zurich, Switzerland.
[Read Full Article]
2008 Albert Schweitzer Tournament: Watered Down Mannheim
April 2, 2008
The fact that Enes Kanter made it all the way to the All-Tournament Team while being only 15 years old deserves recognition here. It was a common conversation these days in Mannheim to discuss the credibility of his birth date, but beyond the impressive frame he displays, his age looks more shocking in regard to his game style rather than to his physical appearance. It’s not every day you see players staying so cool underneath the rim at these categories, especially if they are two years younger than most of their rivals.
Standing 6-9, Kanter enjoys a strong frame that, combined with his toughness, allowed him to battle in the paint at this level, but that still leaves room to envision significant physical development. Playing purely as a center, he made an offensive living off his low-post game. The Turkish prodigy showed nice ability to gain position down low, solid but unspectacular footwork, and still almost always got it done just by evaluating the timing of his efforts, so he regularly caught his opponents off guard. His credo seems to be waiting until the opportunity arises, showing an inappropriate calmness for such a young kid.
 | | Photo: AST.Basketball.de |
However, for the moment his offensive game looks a bit limited, with an underwhelming use of his left hand to finish around the rim, inconsistency in his short-to-mid-range jumper and no off-the-dribble game unless he’s in the low post.
On the other hand, he emerged as one of the best rebounders in the tournament, using his strong body, and fearlessly throwing his arms up in the air looking for the ball. It’s also a matter of good positioning, just as he shows in defensive duties, where he became a very solid piece for the Turkish squad.
Kanter looks pretty promising, but will need to expand his skills and/or keep growing in order to become a top act. Anyway, he’s so young that we can’t do anything but remain extremely cautious about his future.
[Read Full Article]
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