June 28, 2012; Newark, NJ, USA; A general view of the first round draft board at the conclusion of the first round of the 2012 NBA Draft at the Prudential Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerry Lai-USA TODAY Sports
Dante Exum
Point Guard, Australia
19 years old
6’6″, 196 lbs.
2013 FIBA U19 World Championship Stats: 29.5 MPG, 18.2 PPG (44.6% FG, 60.9% FT, 33.3% 3P), 3.8 APG, 3.6 RPG, 1.7 SPG, 2.3 TPG
Measurements: 6’9.75″ wingspan, 8’7″ standing reach
Cumulative Ranking: 4th | Bryant’s Ranking: 4th | Scott’s Ranking: 4th
Dante Exum: THE BREAKDOWN
Bryant: The Australian wonder, Exum is the Mystery Man of the class. Even without a ton of footage available, it’s easy to get excited about his potential. He’s got star-level scoring talents, and has excellent size for a point guard. He’s been labeled as a combo guard, but from the film I’ve watched he looks like a capable and willing floor general, and his defensive potential is fantastic with his combination of size, speed and length. Best of all is his excellent basketball IQ – combine it all, and it’s really hard to see any scenario where Exum is available for the Kings.
Scott: I’m always leery of foreign prospects where you’re relying on videos and other people’s opinions. But by all accounts, Exum has all the makings of a legitimate player. He’s long, lightning quick and seems more than willing to set up his teammates. Based on his interviews, he also seems to have a great attitude and awareness of his own game. His two weaknesses — perimeter shooting and strength — can be rectified over time, as Exum is just 18 years old. Is he another guard who can play in place of or beside Isaiah Thomas?
Bryant: Exum sure has the size to play alongside Isaiah Thomas and guard shooting guards, and he’s got the playmaking skills to play the point next to Ben McLemore. Much like Marcus Smart, selecting Exum would signal nothing about the teams’ decision making on Thomas. Defensively, yes, he needs to add muscle, but his insane length and quickness will make him a match-up nightmare at the point and solid enough as a shooting guard. Given the recent injury to Joel Embiid, it seems destined that Exum will go in the top three now.
Scott: Surprises can always happen, but yes, it seems like the only way the Kings get Exum is by moving up, and they don’t have the assets to make that jump. I’m curious to see how quickly Exum can contribute at the NBA level. I think he has the mental game to be thrown right into the fire by whoever selects him — likely a team not competing anyway. He’s a potential franchise-changing talent, and in my opinion, the mystery behind him only adds to the excitement about his future.
A Royal Pain – Sacramento Kings Cumulative Big Board
15. Nik Stauskas – Shooting Guard, Michigan
14. Jusuf Nurkic – Center, Bosnia
13. Adreian Payne – Power Forward, Michigan State
12. Gary Harris – Guard, Michigan State
11. Doug McDermott – Forward, Creighton
10. Dario Saric – Forward, Croatia
9. James Young – Guard/Forward, Kentucky
8. Noah Vonleh – Forward, Indiana
7. Marcus Smart – Guard, Oklahoma State
6. Aaron Gordon – Power Forward, Arizona
5. Julius Randle – Power Forward, Kentucky
4. Dante Exum – Point Guard, Australia