Newsok's Berry Tramel: "Kanter had no defensive mentor with Jazz"

[LogGrad98]

I know we all like to flame Kanter constantly now, but article kind of has a point.

Of course naturally great defenders don't need a defensive mentor, but maybe naturally poor ones do. Kanter had Al Jefferson to emulate, that couldn't have helped his defensive mindset since Jefferson basically used defensive possessions to rest so he could play offense. Yeah, he had Rudy and Favors, but you don't get mentored by guys your same age.

Meh you get mentored by whomever you allow to mentor you. I learned a ton early in my career from a "kid" who was barely 20 but one of the best management minds I had ever met, and 6 years my junior (he is now a COO somewhere making ridicudollars). I think the Jefferson quote was closer to the truth. And, yet again, it comes back to personal effort and attitude.

 

[Magic Spray]

Meh you get mentored by whomever you allow to mentor you. I learned a ton early in my career from a "kid" who was barely 20 but one of the best management minds I had ever met, and 6 years my junior (he is now a COO somewhere making ridicudollars). I think the Jefferson quote was closer to the truth. And, yet again, it comes back to personal effort and attitude.

Kanter wanted to be mentored by Jefferson because he realized that as long as you produce points and grab rebounds people are going to pay you big bucks (at least enough for a bed big enough for many many women) and give you a bunch of lip service about defense but not really demand it of you and still pay you. Al Jefferson was the master of that ****. And Ty Corbin didn't hold players accountable for the ******** they did on the court.

Then Q starts ripping his *** out of games for poor defense. Time to take the Jefferson show on the road, young man.

 

[Thee Jazz Fan]

I remember the good old days when they didn't just allow any idiot to write articles. That was just bad and completely biased. Not even a mention of Favors who had basically the same mentors as Kanter, and no mention of how amazing the jazz's defense was after the trade. And if I recall. Coach Q even told everyone that if u don't play defense u won't play. I guess Kanter didn't take that seriously.

If this wasn't a completely biased take this article would've been all about Kanter not taking defense seriously, and how selfish he was in Utah.

Jefferson is not as bad a defender as everyone here makes him out to be. Easily better than Boozer. Lightyears ahead of Kanter. Probably just at or maybe a little below average for a big.

Half right half wrong. I actually think he's an elite post defender. And very bad help defender

This article fails to explain how Gobert is our best defensive center in over twenty years as well as how Utah led the league in team defense (94.9).

didn't Eaton come out after the season ended and offer to work out with Gobert? Hope Gobert takes him up on that offer. Lol

I distinctly remember Richard Jefferson trying to help Kanter out with defense and Kanter thinking it was a joke.

Did RJ say this after the trade, or when he was on the team? Also, this tels me there isn't anything any mentor could do to help him

 

[Avery]

And I don't make $100,000 a year because my teachers in high school sucked.

 

[green]

That article was like listening to BYU fan talk about national titles and playoffs.

That market has never struggled. They had Durrant when they left Seattle. When that team implodes, and OKC is left with Kanter on a max deal, it will be pure comedy gold.

 

[addictionary]

I know we all like to flame Kanter constantly now, but article kind of has a point.

Of course naturally great defenders don't need a defensive mentor, but maybe naturally poor ones do. Kanter had Al Jefferson to emulate, that couldn't have helped his defensive mindset since Jefferson basically used defensive possessions to rest so he could play offense. Yeah, he had Rudy and Favors, but you don't get mentored by guys your same age.

lol'd at that bit

 

[Saint Cy of JFC]

Meh you get mentored by whomever you allow to mentor you. I learned a ton early in my career from a "kid" who was barely 20 but one of the best management minds I had ever met, and 6 years my junior (he is now a COO somewhere making ridicudollars). I think the Jefferson quote was closer to the truth. And, yet again, it comes back to personal effort and attitude.

Closer to the truth than what?

My point and Jefferson's point aren't mutually exclusive.

Big Al was Kanter's mentor. Big Al didn't care about defense, therefore it has been ingrained in Kanter to not care about defense.

 

[addictionary]

If there is another reason Kanter did not develop any important thing in his game aside from getting even better at post-moves, it was Corbin's constant nagging on him. I remember Enes looking at the bench after every position on both ends. It was like Ty was a weak character coach and the only mind he could got into was Kanter's goofy mind so he unleashed his entire anger on Kanter the child.

 

[Nate505]

Now i finally understand why Boozer doesn't play defense. He has never had a mentor either! Ha!

Rudy must be a defensive genius, learning so well without any sort of mentor.

 

[UtahMan]

I hope OKC signs Kanter to a big contract. He will screw their defense and set back their franchise for years. OKC signing him will be great for the Jazz!

 

[enchilada_style]

OKC I hope you **** this up.

 

[addictionary]

If KD and Russ commits to the Thunder for more years to come for their own reasons and OKC can keep Kanter, consider Kanter hit the Jackpot. I just can't see them holding Russ-KD-Enes-Serge at the same time. Too expensive.