Ex-Cat Kanter to LeBron: ‘Nobody out there (is) going to punk us’
New York Knicks center Enes Kanter had some unkind words for LeBron James after an altercation with the Cleveland Cavaliers star Monday night.
Frank Ntilinka & Enes Kanter stand up vs LeBron James pic.twitter.com/wdI3oBvgDu
— NBA RETWEET (@RTNBA) November 14, 2017
“I don’t care … what you call yourself. King, Queen, Princess, whatever you are. You know what, we’re going to fight and nobody out there (is) going to punk us,” said Kanter, an eight-year pro who spent a season on Kentucky’s bench after being ruled ineligible by the NCAA.
James’ response?
“I’m the King, my wife is the Queen and my daughter is the Princess,” he said. “So we got all three covered.”
ICYMI: Enes Kanter & LeBron James postgame. (h/t @gifdsports) pic.twitter.com/MtHjpAoJqd
— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) November 14, 2017
James was issued a technical foul after the dustup with Kanter and Frank Ntilikina in the first quarter. The game was just two days after James, following a victory in Dallas, said Mavericks rookie Dennis Smith Jr. should be a Knick. The Knicks passed on Smith in the draft, taking Ntilikina one spot earlier at No. 8.
James said he meant it as a shot at former Knicks president Phil Jackson, and he was angry that he thought Kanter overreacted in his defense of Ntilikina. So it wasn’t surprising they were involved in an altercation late in the first quarter.
James dunked and then wouldn’t move out of the way as Ntilikina tried to take the ball back to the baseline to throw it in. Ntilikina pushed James, who then exchanged words with Kanter after he ran in. James shoved Kanter, and both were given technical fouls.
James had 23 points, 12 assists and nine rebounds as the Cavs mounted a huge fourth-quarter comeback, and beat New York 104-101.
This story was originally published November 14, 2017 at 5:44 PM with the headline "Ex-Cat Kanter to LeBron: ‘Nobody out there (is) going to punk us’."