Following a physical confrontation with Giannis Antetokounmpo, Knicks center Enes Kanter believes Bucks assistant coach Darvin Ham should be fined for his role in the incident, per ESPN.
Kanter and Antetokounmpo briefly came face-to-face in Thursday’s game but were quickly separated. Ham, however, seemingly shoved Kanter from behind during the altercation.
“[Ham] should get fined,” Kanter said. “The NBA should fine him. He’s not my assistant coach, so he’s not allowed to touch me. You’re a Milwaukee Bucks assistant coach, so you’re allowed to touch the Bucks players. Not me. He cannot be touching me. I could’ve just pushed him back and started another fight, but I don’t think the NBA wants that. He’s not my assistant coach. He’s not my friend. He’s not nobody.”
Both Kanter and Antetokounmpo were issued technical fouls following the skirmish. Kanter was ejected moments later after receiving his second technical foul. The Knicks’ big man expressed disappointment with how the matter was handled and accused officials of giving the Bucks superstar preferential treatment.
“He’s the golden boy,” Kanter said. “Obviously he’s the golden child, and they gave me two technicals. OK. Whatever. I’m going to leave the management to take care of all that stuff.”
Kanter, in his second season with the Knicks, also expressed his issues with Antetokounmpo’s comments about Mario Hezonja. Hezonja dunked on Giannis during a game last month and then stepped over the ‘Greek Freek.’ Antetokounmpo said he would punch Hezonja in the groin the next time both teams played. However, Hezonja did not log any minutes in the Bucks’ Christmas Day win over the Knicks.
“I was very pissed because what kind of player are you … did he not get any PR lesson?” Kanter said. “You cannot say to the media, ‘I’m going to punch somebody in the whatever.’ If you’re the best player in the world or the worst player in the world, you cannot be talking about my teammate like that. It’s very childish of him. He’s an MVP candidate. He’s a cool dude and carrying that franchise, but you can’t be talking about my teammates like that.”
“He’s not nobody”
“He’s the Golden Boy.”
He was talking about the Bucks assistant coach.
Dude you make millions and you play in New York and you’re dating a hottie like WWE Dana Brooke. What do you have to be angry about LOL
I think all of his points are very valid.
Oh, his points are very valid it says in the rules any coach cannot put their hands on an opposing player. But the issue right now is general managers of small market teams are trying to make the claim that the league favorite is the big market teams sell to make a point that it is not the case nothing will probably happen.
There can be many issues dealt with at once. This is a billion dollar industry.
I do not understand why this guy gets so much attention. He plays on a bad team and isn’t anything special. What a nuisance
I don’t like Kanter, but all his points made a lot of sense in this article at least.
What a clown this Kanter fellow… I think he just sooo jealous of Giannis… Just accept it Giannis is a mega star & you are an average player at best, so of course the league should favor Giannis, people pay to see him no one would pay to see you, as simple as.
Greek Freak? More like the Greek Creep!
Kanter is the next Bill Laimbeer, just not as talented. Dirty player who whines and cries when something happens to him.
Such a drama queen, can’t wait til he has to play in Russia or China.
Dude had got a valid point. I don’t know abouy everyone here ripping on them would do, but if some stranger, some guy I don’t know, puts his hands on me, then he is getting it right back.
Then do it. Done cry to the media and the NBA to fine a guy.
The Greek said mean things! Waaahaaaaah
First and foremost, Kanter fouled Giannis on the block attempt. That call was missed. Second if u watch the video all Ham did was separate the two. He didn’t “shove him in the back”. It was a double forearm.
Third of all Kanter is a bum. If Robinson was healthy he’d still b a bench piece not a starter. U can’t talk a big game and get ur starting spot taken by a second round rookie. Kanter knows his NBA life is numbered so he’s trying to carve out a role as a tough guy. That’s fake tough guy if I’ve ever seen it.
He’s just not on the bench for Robinson. He didn’t start that game because of luke kournet.
A few of his points are valid, but I personally think Kanter is the second most immature player in the NBA, or at least the second easiest to dislike. Obviously Draymond is first, but I can’t think of anyone that comes close to those two off the top of my head.
What Giannis said about Hezonja is exactly what I would expect Kanter would say in the same situation.
Kanter is a Cancer to the NBA by his behavior everywhere he goes. This guy is very immature in his thinking. From what I understand The country Turkey has stated that Kanter would get thrown in jail if he got caught on their soil.Maybe since the Greeks and Turks have bad feelings towards one another, Kanter in his mind believes picking a fight with Giannis fixes everything. Yea I know that’s a stretch, but I’m trying to put myself in his troublesome mind.The commish needs to speak to this guy and the Knicks organization before it gets way out of hand.
Don’t talk about stuff you clearly know nothing about. Enes spoke out against a dictator ruining his home country and it got him labeled a terrorist and his family incarcerated. He had his citizenship revoked. What happened to him and his family is a tragedy. Don’t be stupid
Kanter criticized a ruthless dictator at power in his homeland, and under Erdogan’s rule Turkey has lost the status of a democracy. BTW US-Turkey relations are “strained”. Turkey can never be a US enemy for larger strategic reasons, but neither can they be called an ally right now.
Kanter is a brave man and is consistent with US positions. This complaining about injustice at work is small potatoes.
I must say I have been criticizing the refs with regard to Giannis also.
Man we all know you don’t like euroguys… but man they are good. Giannis is a legend!!! That is a fact!!!
Well I’m liking Kanter here. . . so it balances out?
I didn’t dislike Doncic, just could not say he should be a top pick because I never saw him play. It was hard to rank him. Dallas plays him at F which I did not know was an option. . . he said he wasn’t going to do that. PG only.
Kanter should be fined fo starting fights in almost every game this season.
I would love to see what would have happened to a knick coach if he did this to the Greek and what you would be saying wrong is wrong Ham should have grabbed his player plain and simple a dirty foul by Katner and the wrong move by Ham punish both boom end of story