Enes Kanter was back in Utah on Saturday for the first time since being traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder, and he had a lot of things to say about his time with the Jazz. Most of them, very negative. Kanter basically said he “never liked” playing in Utah, and that the professionalism in OKC is infinitely higher. In other words, he shit on the Jazz.
From ESPN:
“I love it,” Kanter said before the game of his change of scenery. “It’s a team I’ve never experienced before and I actually like playing basketball there. I’m just so comfortable and everything is in the right place. I’m just really happy to be there.”
And it showed, as he continued his hot streak with 18 points and 11 rebounds in a 94-89 loss to the Jazz.
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“I think the difference is, I like playing basketball there,” Kanter said. “I think that’s the most important thing. I never liked playing basketball before in my NBA career, and this is the first time I felt like playing basketball there, for my team, for the fans, for my teammates for my coaches, for everybody. So, that’s the first time.”
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“It wasn’t just a one-game or two-game frustration,” he said. “It was a 3½-year frustration. I’m happy for both sides. I think it worked out well for both sides. I’m definitely happy that I’m part of the Oklahoma City team, a winner team, so I think it’s going to go really well in the future.”
What’s so much different about the Thunder versus the Jazz?
“It’s everything,” he said. “The fans, the coaches, the team, the atmosphere is amazing. Everything is falling into place and I’ve never felt anything like that before. It’s so different.
“It wasn’t just basketball stuff. It was professionalism of the team. After I see in OKC, I see this is how NBA teams are. You know how you’re like in a dream and you have a superpower and just don’t want to open your eyes and end the dream? Oklahoma City’s been like that to me.”
Kanter was careful to point out that he would not consider his time with the Jazz a “nightmare.”
“I did not say that. I still respect them,” he said. “I still like my coaches here, I still have friends here, some friends here, not a lot. But still, I’m just saying I don’t want to make no comments on them, but I think when after I went to OKC I was like, ‘Oh man, this is how an NBA team is.'”
