Kanter gamble a win-win in Calipari's world
Whether Enes Kanter ever plays at
That's what the NCAA will consider over the coming days, weeks and possibly months as it addresses whether Kanter is allowed to compete as a freshman, and you're going to be disappointed if you came here for a prediction; I don't have one mainly because, as the Jeremiah Masoli case at Ole Miss proved last week, it's impossible to predict what the NCAA will do in any given case. Thus, I'll refrain from guessing. But what I will do is tell you that though many of the details in this week's well-reported New York Times story shocked casual fans, nothing printed should've surprised Kentucky officials because they had to know what they were getting into when they opted to accept a commitment from Kanter last March.
I mean, everybody else knew.
In my years of covering college basketball, I've never heard an incoming freshman called a "pro" more than Kanter has been called a pro by industry sources. One coach who initially recruited Kanter but quickly stopped told me he did so after determining "the kid should be ruled ineligible for life." Other coaches have laughed when I told that story, but nobody has ever argued the other side. All of which suggests John Calipari must've realized there was a real chance he could enroll Kanter but never actually coach him once the NCAA weighed in.
But you know what else Calipari probably realized?
That it was a gamble worth taking.
Remember, any questions about Kanter's amateur status aren't questions that have anything to do with Kentucky. It all centers on what happened before Kentucky was involved with Kanter, as everything that affected Renardo Sidney's status at Mississippi State last year centered on what happened before Mississippi State was involved with Sidney. So this isn't a case where the Wildcats opened themselves up to various issues. Either they would enroll Kanter and get him cleared or enroll Kanter and not get him cleared. There never was any real downside. And to those claiming it now looks silly given where this seems to be headed, I'd remind you that you still don't know where this is headed, and that Kanter ultimately could be dealt a punishment that delays his college debut rather than ends his college career, in which case the big picture remains intact.
Let's be honest: Calipari isn't concerned with winning November and December games at this point in his career (except for the ones against Rick Pitino, of course). He's been undefeated deep into the year, been ranked No. 1, earned No. 1 seeds, and won more games in a season than everybody else. The only remaining goal is to win a national championship, and having Kanter involved makes that goal more attainable even if he isn't involved from the start. If Calipari could only have Kanter for March, he'd take him. If Calipari could only have Kanter for next season, he'd take him. So the lone truly devastating punishment would be the NCAA ruling Kanter ineligible forever and always, and if that happens, well, what's been lost?
Answer: Nothing.
This is only a headache for Kanter, his family and the Kentucky compliance office. For Calipari, off signing autographs on a book tour, it's only a gamble he made with somebody else's money. If he wins it, Kentucky again will be among the favorites to make the Final Four. If he loses it, Kentucky will be right where it would've been had it never messed with Kanter in the first place.
It was a free roll, so to speak.
And though it doesn't look good, the dice are still tumbling.
