Skip to search.

Breaking News Visit Yahoo! News for the latest.

×Close this window

The Dagger - NCAAB

The Dagger

Fri Oct 01 05:09pm EDT

Kentucky's Enes Kanter hopes to be the next Undertaker

By Jeff Eisenberg

If Enes Kanter's NBA aspirations don't pan out, the 6-foot-11 Kentucky freshman has a unique backup plan he intends to pursue.

"After my basketball career I want to be a professional wrestler," he told Lexington TV station WTVQ.

Watch WTVQ video of Kanter here

Kanter is such a big fan of the WWE that he followed it from Turkey by reading wrestling-themed web sites and message boards and watching tape-delayed wrestling shows that would occasionally air on TV. Since he arrived stateside a couple years ago, he has seldom missed an episode of Monday Night Raw.

By far Kanter's favorite wrestler is the Undertaker, known for his undead gimmick and undefeated Wrestlemania record. Kanter hopes to meet the Undertaker some day and told WLTVQ that folks on campus at Kentucky have begun referring to him as the "UnderKanter."  

"I started watching (the Undertaker) four or five years ago and right now I play like him on the court," Kanter said. "His nickname is unbelievable. That's why I love him. The deadman? I love it."

[Related: David Beckham's hilarious alternate career choice]

Kanter continues to await word from the NCAA on whether he will be eligible to play with his Kentucky teammates next season. The NCAA announced Friday that Kanter is not allowed to practice until a ruling is issued determining whether the Turkish import compromised his amateur status by accepting extra benefits while playing for a club team in his homeland for three years.  

The downside to that for Kanter is he may not be able to take the court once practice begins in earnest on Oct. 15. The upside is Kanter probably has more free time to watch wrestling and hone his skills in the ring.

Other popular stories on Yahoo! Sports:
• Video: Shaq gets punked by teammate on dunk
• Tiger's half-brother says their father would be 'very disappointed'
• High school senior scores heartwarming touchdown

digg delicious

Related Articles

Launch Article Browser

The Dagger

Add to My Yahoo! RSS

Related Photo Gallery

More NCAAB Photos »

Y! Sports Blog