Enes Kanter said he spent a lot of time over the past year imagining what it would sound like to hear his name announced at Rupp Arena.
Enes Kanter battled Kenneth Faried for a loose ball during Monday's exhibition charity game at Rupp Arena.
Now he knows.
The infamous Kentucky center, drafted No. 4 overall by the Utah Jazz after missing all of his one season in college because of receiving impermissible compensation from a club team in his native Turkey, was part of Monday’s exhibition which pitted The Big Blue All-Stars against The Villains, a team of pros that are alumni of Kentucky rival schools.
Kanter played 22 minutes and finished with 14 points and 10 rebounds. The Villains—who Christian Laettner coached—won, 152-149.
“I was kind of nervous because that was my first game in Rupp Arena. It made me kind of nervous,” Kanter said.
Because of the NBA’s ongoing lockout, Kanter has yet to step foot in a Jazz training facility or get to work officially with any of his soon-to-be teammates. Because of the circumstances around his career, he said he’s a bit used to the feeling.
“I’m just not lucky,” he said. “I couldn’t play high school, I couldn’t play college and now I can’t play in the NBA.”
All 19 of those that played Monday have NBA ties, and they either played in the league last year or are incoming rookies. The Big Blue All-Stars were a cut-and-dried bunch: Kanter, Keith Bogans, DeMarcus Cousins, Rajon Rondo, Brandon Knight, Nazr Mohammed, Jodie Meeks, DeAndre Liggins, Chuck Hayes and Josh Harrellson.
The Villains’ roster sat a bit more in the gray. Some Villains made sense: former North Carolina pest Tyler Hansbrough, ex-Louisville forward Terrence Williams, former Florida loudmouth Corey Brewer. But others were questionable: former Dukie Nolan Smith never played against Kentucky, and Morehead State’s Kenneth Faried and Butler’s Shelvin Mack got two of the loudest cheers of the night during player introductions.
Still, the loudest cheer of the night was decidedly for Kanter. It wasn’t even outdone when Laettner was ejected near the end of the fourth quarter (which was scripted), or when he got down on all fours to wipe up a spot of sweat and Hayes flung more moisture his way (which was not scripted).
Kanter said he’ll leave Lexington tomorrow to train in Los Angeles with a trainer and play in open gyms with a group of NBA players assembled out west. He’ll be out there until the call comes that the lockout has been lifted.
Monday gave Kanter a bit of indication as to what he can expect in the league; he went up for a seemingly uncontested dunk and Faried flew in and forcefully swatted it away.
“Here, everybody is jumping so high,” Kanter said. “Everybody is stronger. I have to work more.”
Still, Kanter said he was glad to finally hear his name called at Rupp Arena, even if the atmosphere was decidedly different. The arena was half-full, at best; no official attendance figure was given. Tickets were sold for neither end zone of the upper arena, and the rest of the upper arena was scattered. The lower level was just as spread out.
Even if the circumstances were different, it still felt as good as he imagined.
“I was really happy. Finally I got to play in Rupp Arena,” Kanter said. “I was really nervous but I was also really happy.”
