In an interview with CBS Local, New York Knicks center Enes Kanter shared his ESL acquisition story. Kanter said that before he had his one-and-done stint with John Calipari's Kentucky Wildcats rebuffed, he started learning English by watching Spongebob Squarepants. Around that time, The NCAA ruled Kanter ineligible because he'd received $33,000 in excess benefits from Turkish Super Club Fenerbahçe. Kanter was so highly touted during that period that he was recruited to center the Turkish National Team whilst enrolled at a California prep school thousands of klicks away.
"Spongebob Squarepants is my favorite," said Kanter to interviewer D.J. Sixsmith. "That cartoon was actually where I got my English most. In college, I couldn’t play, I was just sitting down and watching two shows: Spongebob and Jersey Shore. Because you have to learn the street language, not the normal language."
Believe it or not, Kanter just credited Jersey Shore with helping him bridge the cultural divide between and his American teammates. If only critics of Jersey Shore were in attendance to engorge this healthy serving of crow. Enes Kanter was essentially red shirted in his freshman campaign and spent the majority of his time binge-watching and practicing his footwork. If I knew I was earmarked for the NBA lottery several years in advance, I too would forego my education and watch rebroadcasted television in my dorm room.