Sections of the international basketball community converged in Melbourne this week with one goal- to catch a glimpse of Aussie NBA prospect Dante Exum.
The youngster is considered a top four prospect in next year’s deeply talented NBA draft, but is the biggest unknown of 2014’s top end crop, having played very little in front of NBA scouts.
Exum was in action Monday and Tuesday, attracting serious attention in the process. Two separate camera crews- one from sports giant The Bleacher Report and the other on behalf of NBA scouts- were there filming Dante in action.
The 18-year-old didn’t fail to impress- he averaged 25.7 points per game and five assists through three games over the opening two days, even showing he had developed what was considered a major weakness by knocking down 12 three-point shots (from 32 attempts.)
Exum faces the biggest decision of his life in the coming months as he chooses between directly heading to the NBA or spending some time further developing his game in the US college system, but he will make NBA executives wait a couple more months before revealing his intentions.
“To be honest, I haven’t been thinking about it too much,” Exum said of his upcoming decision. “I am back home but my mum is still in Singapore, so she is going to head back soon. After that I will make my decision with my whole family.
“I want to get it done by February. It shouldn’t be too hard [a decision] to make. But I just want to make sure I use my time right so I make the right decision.”
Exum has a chance to claim the No.1 spot in next year’s draft, but will have to prove himself above the likes of college superstars Andrew Wiggins, Jabari Parker and Julius Randle.
Australia’s top NBA prospect Andrew Bogut told SEN Radio that he believe Exum had to go the NBA route.
“He’s a projected top five pick and he could go to college and risk getting hurt,” he said on Tuesday.
“You’re also under the pressure of the scouts – they start to nitpick a little bit so it could hurt your spot as well.
“I think he’ll do the smart thing. I think he’ll end up coming over here a little earlier and just training and working out and then enter the draft.”
Dante Exum will be in action again on Wednesday as the Championship quarterfinals get underway.
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