Dante Exum turned heads early at Las Vegas Summer League before struggling down the stretch. And while most assumed the 19 year-old Australian star would be a key fixture for his country at the FIBA World Cup, Exum was instead relegated to bit player. So after those labors came further adjusted expectations for his rookie season with the Utah Jazz.
If Exum labored against summer competition and barely got off the bench for a non-contender in Spain, why should we expect him to be any better for Utah? We shouldn’t, and that’s not a damning thing. Having only played against high school level competition consistently over the past few years, Exum is not only one of the youngest players in the league, but also by far its greenest.
What’s pertinent to assess his present and future is the realization that he is a long, long way from his ceiling as a basketball player. That would be easier, of course, if Exum flashed the all-around dynamism that had at least one draft scout compare him to Kobe Bryant. And if the teenager’s performance in the Jazz’s rout of the Los Angeles Lakers last night is any indication, Exum will do just that at the very least.
Even more encouraging than Exum’s awesome numbers of 13 points (3-6 FGs, 6-6 FTs), six assists, and no turnovers in just 19 minutes of play is his innate comfort in the pick-and-roll. It takes most ballhandlers years to develop the space, tempo, and vision that Exum flashed in ball-screen situations last night.
He hesitated to get a better angle before throwing a perfect lob. Rejected a screen for an easy baseline lane to the paint once he saw his defender jump to the high side to attempt an ICE. Showed more keen understanding of pace by lulling the defense to sleep and creating a clear path to the basket. And even flashed a difficult floater after using the pick and getting the defender on his hip.
That’s all next-level stuff, and extremely rare for a player in the earliest stages of his evolution. Should Exum hone his jumper, become a more engaged defender, and mature physically, there’s no reason why he can’t be among the league’s best point guards in several years’ time. That’s a lot of contingencies and a look to the distant future, but Exum’s present skill-set makes it easy to dream so big.
(Video via GD’s Latest Highlights)
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