If Enes Kanter stays a Knick, he knows exactly who he will mentor next season.
Kanter has until Friday to decided whether or not to opt out of his $18.6 million player option, and he noted that the addition of new head coach David Fizdale makes staying in New York a stronger possibility. He also said the Knicks have first priority to show him they want him back next season.
So, saying he does come back, Kanter has an eye on working closely with New York's second-round draft choice in C Mitchell Robinson. Robinson didn't play at the collegiate level last season, and instead of returning to Western Kentucky to showcase his skills, he made the decision to prep for the Draft instead.
Kanter has watched videos of Robinson, and he believes his athleticism would be a good fit in New York.
"I watched videos," Kanter told The Post's Marc Berman. "He's athletic. He's going to be really good for us. He can bring a lot of energy and have an effect on the defensive end and he's just going to get better on offense."
Kanter usually isn't one to indulge in the vast amount of prospects the NBA Draft has to offer every year, but this time it was different given his little brother -- Xavier's Kerem Kanter -- declared for 2018. Kerem, who worked out for the Knicks, went undrafted. However, he is expected to play in the Las Vegas summer league.
As for the Knicks' first-rounder Kevin Knox, Kanter thinks his versatility will be felt immediately.
"[Knox] can play almost every position and am told he has a high IQ on the court," Kanter said. "He'll bring a lot of confidence and energy."
Despite being just 26, Kanter will take a leadership role with these two rookies -- that is if he decides to return. He said he will wait until the Friday deadline to make his decision on where to play next season.