Dean's List For Monday, 13 July 2015

DON’T BEGRUDGE TURKISH CENTER KANTER FOR LIVING AMERICAN DREAM

So all of a sudden Enes Kanter is maybe not good enough to start. A bad defender. May not have a good attitude. Right? That’s what I’m reading and hearing on the Boulevard.

Why? Nothing is different about the Thunder center now versus what the masses were led to believe up to two weeks ago. Same smiling, productive, humble, amenable, affable, appreciative Turkish big man. Same 23-year old who over-achieved the lofty expectations management and fans had when God’s Country was excited to punt Perk and welcome the Charley Barkley cure-all: “A low-post scorer.”

Heck, until Enes and his agent did what good business people do and test the open market, the double-double machine – yes, the same Enes Kanter was indeed a double-double machine in Thunder Blue – might have finished behind only KD, Russ, Samuel Presti and Mick the Mayor as favorites to win OKC’s Who’s Who Contest.

Kanter’s production and affable approach had made him a gift, according to the media, apologists and our friends in the Thunder PR Department, who upon announcing the Thunder matched Portland’s offer sheet delivered these facts: “In 26 games this past season with the Thunder, Kanter averaged 18.7 points to go along with 11.0 rebounds and 1.1 assists in 31.1 minutes per contest. Since being acquired from the Utah Jazz on Feb. 19, the 23-year-old Kanter registered 17 double-doubles, including a Thunder record eight straight double-doubles in late March.”

Continuing, “Originally selected third overall in the 2011 NBA draft, Kanter recorded at least 20 points and 10 rebounds 11 times with Oklahoma City this past season. Prior to Kanter’s arrival, no Thunder center had ever recorded a single 20-point/10-rebound game.

Before the big bucks dispatch Brother Kanter to the tall guy in the black hat, let’s remember that Enes is the same breath of fresh air today that he was before the negotiations that he and his representative simply exercised just like any sound-of-mind American businessman is encouraged to do in this free enterprise system in which we live.

Democracy is on this side of the pond. At least for now, socialism is not our gig. So carry on, Mr. Kanter. You’re off to a great start. But will you work on your defense?