Kentucky’s chances for a deep run in the basketball tournament took a significant hit Thursday when the N.C.A.A. ruled that the freshman center Enes Kanter was permanently ineligible.
The N.C.A.A., which said Kentucky would appeal the decision, said in a statement that both it and the university agreed that the 6-foot-11 Kanter received $33,033 in addition to his expenses during the 2008-9 season, when he played for a top team in a professional league in Turkey, where he is from.
“Enes took advantage of an opportunity to play at the highest level available to him, but the consequences of receiving payments above his actual expenses is not compatible with the collegiate model of sports that our members have developed,” said Kevin Lennon, the N.C.A.A.’s vice president of academic and membership affairs.
The decision ultimately came down to the N.C.A.A.’s determining what Kanter’s “actual and necessary” expenses were.
CLICK: Enes Kanter, Kentucky’s Center From Turkey, Is Ruled Ineligible – NYTimes.com
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