Kanter's well-being foremost on Calipari's mind

Enes Kanter's well-being — not how the program perseveres — will guide Kentucky basketball in the aftermath of an NCAA decision making the freshman permanently ineligible, Coach John Calipari said Monday.

"Ten years from now, Kentucky moves on," Calipari said. "Twenty years from now, they don't look back. ... I'm only worried about an 18-year-old and what it's going to do to him. My point now is to make sure we make an unbelievable situation out of a bad situation."

Toward that end, UK made Kanter a student assistant coach like ex-Cat Wayne Turner. Kanter can help out UK in practice and work out for pro scouts as he prepares for this year's NBA Draft, Calipari said.

More than once, the UK coach noted that Kanter is the youngest player — now non-player — on UK's roster. Kanter did not come to UK intending to be a so-called one-and-done player bound for the 2011 NBA Draft. Suggesting Kanter would be a babe in the pro woods, Calipari said, "He wants to throw himself into that world?"

When asked how Kanter was reacting to the permanent ineligibility, Calipari paused and said, "He's OK."

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