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There are 5 installments to today's Downbeat. These will be dropping throughout the morning. One for every member of the F5. There will be 25 points of the Downbeat today. The U.S. Government may have shut down, but not MyLo. Last up, Enes Kanter.
F4 - Derrick Favors
F5 - Enes Kanter
In the effort of full disclosure, I must first count myself among those who was thoroughly disappointed by Enes Kanter calming down his crazy tweeting ways. It was funny, interesting, and, as a blogger, gave everyone here at the Dunk something great to share and blog about. But there are consequences to being that flamboyant.
Kanter on maturity: "After surgery it made me sit and think that I need to grow up. I cannot do crazy tweets, crazy pictures anymore...
— Jeremiah Jensen (@JJSportsBeat) September 30, 2013
More Kanter on maturity: "I need to be one of the leaders that show other young guys how to be a good basketball player off the court."
— Jeremiah Jensen (@JJSportsBeat) September 30, 2013
It was fun while it lasted but Kanter has to grow up sooner rather than later if expectations are to be met with the Utah Jazz. One of the casualties of Enes Kanter taking on a leadership role is his outlandish behavior. Honestly, his behavior wasn't even that outlandish. According to Utah standards it might have been but for other markets, this is tame, but Kanter has to join Jeremy Evans as mentors for Rudy Gobert now.
But don't worry, he's not going full serious.
Kanter's maturity won't affect his fashion choices: "I'll still wear my spongebob shirt with the crazy hats. I still got the fashion."
— Jeremiah Jensen (@JJSportsBeat) September 30, 2013
Enes Kanter on Al's Mentorship:
It was so much fun, man. I would still love to play with him. It's just so much fun. I'm not even just talking about basketball part. Basketball part was just really good because he was just helping me real good. I'm talking about off the court. I say this in every interview about Al. He was not a teammate for me, he was a big brother for me. Every time I look at him he was making me laugh.
One can't help when they hear about Al Jefferson's mentorship and get happy. While Big Al will probably never lead a team to a championship, he is one of the NBA's good guys. The Charlotte Bobcats' move to sign Al Jefferson was, most likely, as much a move about Big Al's skills as it was a move for Big Al's mentorship. Look at how Derrick Favors and Enes Kanter blossomed under his tutelage. Look at how Kevin Love blossomed under Al's tutelage. Al goes to another developing team with promising big men, Biyombo and Zeller. Some sow and some reap.
Funny exchange with Enes Kanter and David Locke and Ron Boone.
Kanter: And we did. We got ... What was his name? *looks at David Locke*
Locke: Kevin Murphy.
Kanter: Yeah, him.
Enes Kanter couldn't remember Kevin Murphy's name. But Enes Kanter is excited for the new rookies this year.
Kanter: Oh we got rookies now. Three rookies.
Boone: You going to have fun?
Kanter: Oh, man, most definitely! I've learned--not just basketball from Al--but I learned some other things, too.
Put the rookies on Pretty Pink Princess Backpack alert. Kanter has had to deal with two years of rookie hazing. I feel there is a lot of suppressed retaliation about to occur.
Enes Kanter talked to David Locke about how Karl Malone helped him improve.
It was so much fun. He's a really fun guy. Just not about basketball, but it's fun to be around him, his family, cuz he's really such a nice guy, and his family is also, too. And we had a lot of hard practices. And besides basketball, we went a fishing.
Most of the summer we worked on the balance and leg strength. He said if your legs aren't strong you're going to get pushed around. And, ya know, he talked about when he was playing how he treated his teammates, how he treated his coaches. So, he helped me a lot. When you listen to a legend like that, he helped me a lot.
It's interesting to compare Kanter's experience with Karl Malone with Derrick Favors' experience. Favors' seemed more inclined to keep what he learned close to the vest. While Kanter is doing the same, Kanter seems to have grown immensely from being around Malone and his family. He grew up. But Kanter won't share everything he learned.
Kanter on Malone: "Even when he talks you understand why he's a legend...He taught me some secrets I can't say on here." #JazzMediaDay
— Jeremiah Jensen (@JJSportsBeat) September 30, 2013
Are there going to be some Malone-esque elbows in Kanter's future?
Big Al wants Kanter 1 on 1.
Enes Kanter telling story of running into Al Jefferson at P3 this summer. Said Al asked Corbin for no double teams vs CHA. Wants 1v1 w Enes.
— Bill Oram (@tribjazz) September 30, 2013
This MUST happen. There needs to be a master vs. pupil head to head match up.