"Two international men of mystery are centers of attention in the National Basketball Association draft.

Big men Enes Kanter of Turkey and Jonas Valanciunas of Lithuania should be among the names called early in the proceedings Thursday night.

But just where they will land remains a puzzle, due to the questions surrounding each player.

The 6-foot-11, 260-pound Kanter did not play at Kentucky last season after the NCAA ruled him ineligible for receiving excess benefits from a professional team in Turkey.

But he scored 34 points in an impressive performance at the Nike Hoop Summit in 2010, one of the few opportunities NBA scouts have had to see him.

And he did it despite taking painkillers for an ailing back before the game.

Kanter worked out Monday with the Cleveland Cavaliers, who hold the first- and fourth-overall picks in the draft. It was his second workout for Cleveland, which is seeking a big man to go along with probable top overall pick Kyrie Irving, a point guard from Duke.

Kanter also has worked out for Minnesota, which has the No. 2 pick, and Toronto at No. 5. And he had an impressive workout last week with Washington, which holds the No. 6 pick.

"I don't think I missed anything," Kanter said about his lost season during the NBA draft combine last month. "I practiced with my (Kentucky) teammates every day. I love to play with toughness."

Kanter said he never seriously considered returning to Europe after being ruled ineligible at Kentucky."