Jazz GM lauds Kanter’s work ethic

Utah Jazz general manager Kevin O’Connor lauded Enes Kanter’s work ethic.

“You have to remember he’s 19 years old and didn’t play last year, but he is a willing worker and I think that is key,” O’Connor told reporters after the NBA Draft Thursday night. ” Here is a kid that didn’t play last year and had a 5.9% body fat, and did as well as anybody on the treadmill.”

When asked if the Jazz had Kanter in mind all along, O’Connor said, “I wouldn’t say all along, but it got clearer and clearer as we went through it.
“I think it was the best player available at three. We did add a bit of toughness, but again he’s a teenager. It
will take a couple years to develop, maybe he’s quicker than that. The thing I’d suggest you do is go back
and look at the Hoops Summit tape, he got 34 points in 23 minutes and besides that he got 14 rebounds.
Everywhere he’s played he’s rebounded. Even when he played at 17 in one of the best leagues over in Europe
he rebounded the ball. Normally that transfers very well into the pros.”