For the 75-plus reporters that attended Kentucky men’s basketball media day Thursday, most left disappointed to find out there would be no news on the eligibility of freshman forward Enes Kanter.Kentucky continues to have no comment on the issue while the NCAA explores the eligibility status of the Turkish forward. Reporters were informed that Kanter would not be available for the player portion of the interview session and the media were told head coach John Calipari would not take any questions on Kanter while the NCAA review process continues.That didn’t stop the media from asking anyways as the first question directed Calipari’s way was on the importance of Kanter to the 2010-11 season.”They’re all important,” Calipari said. “Every kid you have on your team has an importance. It’s one of the reasons I spend time with players who aren’t playing much. You want them to know they’re important. You want them to know that the success of our team is about everybody on it, so they’re all important.”Two more questions were fired at Calipari regarding Kanter before Calipari said, “I thought we weren’t talking about” Kanter.But the players were. Multiple players were asked what Kanter meant to the team and their opinions about his eligibility. Junior guard Darius Miller said he was optimistic about Kanter joining the team this year.”I’m pretty sure we’re always going to be optimistic,” Miller said. “We’re just taking it day by day and trying to get better. We’re just hoping for the best.”Miller admitted UK is a different team with Kanter. Asked what would be the hardest part about replacing Kanter, should he miss some or all of the season, Miller said “just how dominant a player he would be.””He’s strong,” Miller said. “He has extremely good post moves. He’s a great teammate. He can pass the ball. He can pretty much do anything. He’s a really good player. A lot of people haven’t got the chance to see him play, but when they do I’m sure they’ll be shocked.”Dodson no longer with team: Although media day came and went without news of Kanter’s status with the team, there was finally some closure on guard Darnell Dodson.Calipari informed reporters that the shooting guard was “no longer with the team.” Calipari said Dodson was granted a full release and can move on to another school.Jones at 100 percent: Kentucky fans didn’t get to see a ton of freshman forward Terrence Jones during the three-game exhibition in Canada because of a rib and ankle injury, but fans will finally get the chance to see what Jones can do on the court during Big Blue Madness.Calipari deemed the Portland, Ore., native healthy and ready to go for the start of the season, saying he’s back to 100 percent.”He’s been fine,” Calipari said. “As a matter of fact, we practiced yesterday for an hour and a half and he made a jump shot. So I stopped practice right there.  I said, ‘That’s it, he finally made a jump shot. Now I know he can shoot. Let me have that mental picture before Friday.’ “Calipari high on the SEC, Georgia: Calipari doesn’t know if UK will be an NCAA Tournament team this year – remember, this is the same coach that continually undersold his team last year – but he’s confident the Southeastern Conference will be as strong, if not stronger, than it has been in years.Calipari believes the SEC is capable of getting six teams into the tournament, which would be the most the league has had since sending six teams to the Big Dance in 2008. “The problem is four of them are in our division,” Calipari said. “In the SEC it’s gotten better. Guys got guys back. Florida will be outstanding. Tennessee will be outstanding.”The one team Calipari is really high on is Georgia.”Georgia has two of the best players (Trey Thompkins and Travis Leslie) in our league coming back,” Calipari said. “Mark Fox is a terrific coach.”A look back at the first year: This time last year, the Bluegrass State was still in the middle of its honeymoon with Calipari and the state was buzzing over the possibilities of the Calipari-UK marriage.At the end of the season, fans realized their dreams could very well become a reality as UK marched to the Elite Eight and a 35-3 record.Asked to look back on his first year, Calipari said he knew the Kentucky fan base was crazy for basketball – just not this crazy.”I went to a nursing home in Winchester and … a lady says, ‘Coach Cal, Coach Cal, can you come over here?’ ” Calipari said. “And I walk over, and as she was sitting she says, ‘Are you working on free-throw shooting?’ ‘Yeah.’ ‘What drills do you do on free-throw shooting? Coach, do you understand the difference between winning and losing games? In most cases it’s free throws.'”I said, ‘Ma’am, how old are you?’ ‘Ninety-six.’ It gets crazier.”I asked the ladies there, ‘How many of you watched the games in Canada?’ ” Calipari said. “(Let me remind you) I’m in a nursing home. They all watched. ‘How many of you tape the games?’ Half of them raise their hands. They watch tapes more than I watch the tapes. That’s Kentucky basketball.”Calipari said he’s learned it’s a 24/7 job, but he wouldn’t have taken the gig if he thought it was too much.”When you’re coaching, it’s what you strive for,” he said.