Earlier this summer, after some well-deserved rest following a grueling NBA season, Enes Kanter made the lengthy trek back from his native Turkey to Oklahoma City.
Basketball was his main reason – to work out at the INTEGRIS Thunder Development Center and utilize all of the amenities it provides. There was another opportunity for Kanter on the court as well, however. It was less intensive, but the work he did at a Thunder Youth Basketball Camp on June 19th at Yukon High School may have been equally as meaningful to the group of children assembled in the gym.
Kanter himself didn’t start playing basketball until he was 13 years old, so he was blown away by the amount of time, attention and dedication that the kids in Oklahoma give to the game. While some of the nuances of the sport weren’t on the agenda, Kanter was able to give the group some of the broad brush strokes of what it takes to be successful on the floor. From the basic fundamentals to being a good teammate, Kanter wanted to show a collection of the team’s most faithful fans what it means to be a Thunder player.
“It was an amazing experience going out and playing with those kids and just teaching some basketball,” Kanter said. “It put a smile on their face, and that’s what it’s about. They’re really lucky that they’re in the Oklahoma City Thunder youth camp.”
“They can learn to be a good locker room guy and that the team is your family,” Kanter continued. “They can try to protect each other.”
That journey from Turkey to Oklahoma City may become an even more familiar one for the center, who came over to the Thunder in a trade in February of the 2014-15 season. Kanter averaged 18.7 points and 11.0 rebounds, racked up 17 double-doubles and had 11 games of at least 20 points and 10 rebounds in just 26 games with the Thunder last spring.
As a result of his skill set and the potential the team sees in him, Kanter was retained by the Thunder on a long-term contract on Sunday night. The team exercised its right of first refusal and matched an offer sheet extended to Kanter, who was a restricted free agent heading into his fifth NBA season. The 6-foot-11, 245-pound big man’s dynamic offensive abilities, size and rebounding were all assets to the team last year, and he can be a unique weapon in the Thunder’s arsenal as he continues to grow as a player.
“We traded for Enes last season with the intention of keeping him as a member of the Thunder for several years to come, and we are excited that he will continue with us,” said General Manager and Executive Vice President Sam Presti. “He adds valuable depth to our roster, diversity to our frontcourt and the dimension that he brings offensively will positively impact our team.”
In April, when the team narrowly missed the postseason, Kanter expressed his desire to be a part of the Thunder organization for the foreseeable future, and that goal was accomplished. Even before his contract situation was resolved, however, the Thunder was clearly at the forefront of his mind.
As he watched the NBA Playoffs, wishing that he could have been participating, Kanter saw that the Thunder squad as currently assembled has all of the necessary pieces to be a contender. The goal for next season, as it is for all of the other 29 teams, is to be the last team standing in late June.
“That’s what we have to work towards,” Kanter explained. “We have a really special team, but we have to give 100 percent and just work.”
Work must be done at a team-wide level, but during the summer Kanter will be working to refine his own game as well. Once training camp rolls around, the low post threat will continue developing his skills on offense and learning coverages and concepts on the defensive end at a higher level. Thanks to assistant coach Mark Bryant, who is returning to the team as a part of the new, recently assembled coaching staff, Kanter will have a familiar face to work with every day.
The man at the helm for the Thunder will be Billy Donovan, who has met with Kanter on multiple occasions so far this offseason. After spending about a month back home in Turkey with his family, Kanter returned to Oklahoma City to work out, spend time with the Thunder staff and get to know his new head coach.
While exactly how Kanter will be used remains to be seen, at age 23 he is far from a finished product. With both the ability to score inside and a nice jump shot, Donovan and the staff have plenty to work with on offense moving forward. With an open mind and a willingness to learn, Kanter hopes to improve his level of play and broaden his skills on both sides of the ball as well.
“He’s an amazing coach,” Kanter said. “He knows how to use his players really well.”
“He told me he’s going to make me shoot some threes so I’m excited about it,” he continued with a sheepish grin.