When: Friday, 09 October 2015 at 8:00 PM EST
Where: Chesapeake Energy Arena, Oklahoma City, OK
Westbrook was as efficient as ever, nearly racking up a triple-double in 22 minutes of play. Ibaka showed why he's one of the best two-way power forwards in the game, interspersing mid-range jumpers with tough interior defense. And Durant literally had heaps of rust falling off of him with every minute on the court. It's only preseason, but the Thunder's main players looked like they never missed a minute of action last season.
The Thunder host Turkish team Fenerbahce Ulker in the NBA's version of an international friendly. These two teams met in the 2013 preseason in Turkey, on Ulker's home court. The Thunder won that game, 95-82.
Normally, that would be all the information necessary for a meeting between an NBA team and an international team. But for Enes Kanter, this game will likely mean so much more. Kanter played for Ulker's junior team for about two seasons before playing with the senior team as a 16-year-old in the 2008-2009 season. Junior teams in international basketball function a lot like prepatory schools here in the United States. Ulker, seeing the potential Kanter had, offered him a contract, which Kanter declined. Kanter's plans were to play in the United States for a year at a prep school and then move on to collegiate ball.
Ulker general manager Nedim Karakas was none too happy about Kanter's decision, as they felt they had invested plenty of time and money in developing Kanter.
After one season in prepatory school, Kanter chose the University of Kentucky as the place where he would play collegiately. A couple days before his freshman season was to begin, Kanter was declared ineligible by the NCAA, due to receiving benefits from Ulker while he played for them. International players can receive room, board, and payment in a form similar to a stipend while playing for the international professional teams and still maintain their NCAA eligibility. If said player were also to receive benefits, such as their family receiving room, board, and payment, then said player would lose their NCAA eligibility. Kanter maintains to this day that he never signed a contract with Fenerbahce Ulker, only receiving room board, and the necessary stipend to live off of. In a report to the NCAA, Karakas stated that not only did they provide Kanter with financial benefits, but they also moved his family from Ankara to Istanbul and housed and provided for them for three years. The NCAA ruled Kanter ineligible, and he never played a minute of collegiate basketball. To this day, Kanter still holds a lot of animosity for the team that provided his start in professional basketball.
Probable Starting Line-Ups
Fenerbahce Ulker
- PG - Kostas Sloukas
- SG - Bogdan Bogdanovic
- SF - Jan Vesely
- PF - Nikola Kalinic
- C - Ekpe Udoh
Oklahoma City Thunder
- PG - Russell Westbrook
- SG - Andre Roberson
- SF - Kevin Durant
- PF - Serge Ibaka
- C - Steven Adams
3 Things to Watch For
- NBA Talent - Fenerbahce is known as one of the top Turkish teams in their country. They have won five championships in the past 11 season in the Turkish league, and feature at least five players with NBA experience. In their last game, they defeated the Brooklyn Nets, 101-96.
- Bench - It is highly likely that the starting lineup tonight will be the starting lineup for the season opener. But the bench is a much different story. The Thunder feature one of the deepest teams in the league, and finding minutes for everyone is going to be a challenge for head coach Billy Donovan. Dion Waiters and Enes Kanter appear to be givens off the bench. But Mitch McGary has made a case for himself over the summer and after one preseason game that he may deserve more playing time. Anthony Morrow proved last season how much of a weapon he can be with his perimeter shooting. And everyone on the team raves about rookie Cameron Payne's play. It is a good problem to have after the disaster that was last season.
- A sight for sore eyes - After months away, the Oklahoma City faithful finally get to see Durant, Westbrook, and Ibaka back on the court, together, and in action.