Dante Exum declined a last-minute opportunity to work out for the No.1 pick holding Cleveland Cavaliers ahead of Thursday’s NBA Draft.
The 18-year-old Australian Institute of Sport product is expected to slip no further than the Orlando Magic’s fourth pick and has, under the direction of his powerful agent Rob Pelinka, worked out for just three of the top four selecting teams.
The Cavs amazingly possess the first overall pick for the third time in four years, but are unlikely to take the 2014’s mystery man with All-Star point guard Kyrie Irving already on the team and are allegedly looking at other high end options to fill out weaker roster spots.
Exum recently completed workouts in Milwaukee and Philadelphia, but opted not to travel to Cleveland in favour of spending time with family in New York ahead of the Draft, to be held at the home of the Brooklyn Nets, the Barclays Center.
“I, along with my agent, decided we have everything planned,” Exum told the AAP.
“I’m just here enjoying it with my family in the Big Apple.”
Last week’s foot surgery to ultra-athletic center Joel Embiid means Exum’s top competition for the No.1 spot is now down to highly touted NCAA products Jabari Parker (Duke) and Andrew Wiggins (Kansas). One potential landing spot for the Melbourne-born Exum is Philadelphia under former Boomers coach Brett Brown.
The two recently caught up at Exum’s 76ers work out after first meeting as a 15-year-old at Olympic trials.
“He’s a true Aussie,” Exum said of Brown .
“He speaks like an Aussie. His wife and children are Australian. It was great to catch up with him.”
Another Aussie hoping to hear his name called on draft night is Cam Bairstow. The former New Mexico player has spent the past few weeks working out for NBA teams in the hope of becoming a second round pick.
Likely first round selection Shabazz Napier recently took to ESPN radio where he described Bairstow the best big man he’d seen in team workouts.
Should he be drafted, the 206cm forward will be forced to fight for a guaranteed contract in training camp and will likely end up playing in Europe on a lucrative deal if he misses out on the NBA this season.
Photo: Graham Denholm
