New York Knicks center Enes Kanter suffered a terrible fall against the Philadelphia 76ers, but chose to play the rest of the game. Here’s why.
When the New York Knicks acquired center Enes Kanter, fans didn’t quite know what to expect. The hope was that he’d turn his per 36 production into his per game numbers, and to his credit, he’s come relatively close to doing so.
What’s come as the most pleasant of surprises during the 2017-18 season, however, is the manner in which Kanter has emerged as a true leader in the locker room.
Kanter’s leadership traits were on full display on Wednesday, Mar. 28 against the Philadelphia 76ers. He suffered what appeared to be injuries to his back and elbow, but opted to play through the pain and borderline inability to walk.
According to Marc Berman of The New York Post, the reason Kanter didn’t come out of the game was an attempt to set an example for the younger generation.
"“I don’t know if I hit my head but I landed on my back pretty bad,’’ Kanter said. “I didn’t want to walk to the locker room. It would be ugly. I tried to keep playing and play though it. It was painful. I didn’t want to quit on my teammates and coaches. I understand we’re not making the playoffs but it shows a lot for the young guys. We still have six games to get better for next year and don’t want to quit on them.“I could’ve just walked to the locker room, but I played through it to show character to the young guys. You’re not going to be 100 percent every day.”"
One can question how wise that was for Kanter to do, but for an organization that lacks an identity, moments like this could be critical.
It didn’t take long for Kanter to earn the respect of Knicks fans, nor his teammates. He plays with a passion and intensity that those who bleed orange and blue have been dying to see since Tyson Chandler‘s departure, and has a pain threshold to which few can compare.
That much was proven against the 76ers, as he played through two injuries in an attempt to help reestablish the culture that the Knicks lost when they traded Patrick Ewing in 2000.
One could argue that Kanter shouldn’t play through such a terrifying injury, but his point comes across as true: It’s rare that players are truly going to be 100 percent.
If the younger players learn from this example, then the lesson could be bigger than simply playing through pain. The message being sent could be that players must push themselves beyond their normal comfort zone in the heat of the moment.
It’s that type of never-say-die mentality that once defined Knicks basketball and culture—a mentality that lasted decades, but hasn’t survived the James Dolan era.
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The question is: Did Enes Kanter’s message to the New York Knicks get across? Or did it fall on deaf ears?