New York Knicks big man Enes Kanter is no stranger to being a team's bodyguard, but dealing with the likes of the Cleveland Cavaliers' LeBron James is a trait acquired from some of the best.

The Turkish international learned his lesson quickly upon being traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder, quickly getting the notes from star point guard Russell Westbrook that his days of friendliness with opponents had come to an end.

“I remember I was in OKC and I was saying hi to a couple of my (ex)-teammates and I was getting yelled at, cussed at by Russell,’’ Kanter said, according to Marc Berman of The New York Post. “Because he’s got the same mentality. Whenever you step on that court, you try to kill them. We’ve got to bring the same thing here.”

“I was shaking everybody’s hand [in Utah] I was giving hugs. And I was giving kisses, European kisses to everybody. Now I’m just playing, That’s what I learned from Russ.”

Enes Kanter stepped up to protect Frank Ntilikina when the Cavs superstar bullied the rookie after finishing an alley-oop, prompting a verbal spat between the two, which got his team riled up.

“He’s fearless,” star forward Kristaps Porzingis said of Kanter. “He doesn’t care what people think about him. He’s going to do everything for the team and always have our backs.”

The 25-year-old has become a fan favorite for every team he's been on due to a relentless disposition to protect his teammates at any cost, and he's done the same with the Knicks during his stint with the team.