Dante Exum Highlights

[McHales Pits]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pNRGoik0q58

I was trying to find out more about Dante Exum's game with my actual eyes rather than just reading mock draft commentary. This was the most recent video I found (December 2013). If anybody has anything more recent, would you post it here?

I was impressed with his court vision in this video. The times that he does take it to the hoop, you can see he has an incredible first step and great quickness. He is definitely a tall point guard as opposed to a shooting guard - in my mind.

I wonder what kind of weight his body could support without slowing him down as I think he could use some added mass to withstand the physical nature of the NBA, especially when you make a living driving into the paint.

[McHales Pits]

For an example of his quick first step...go to the 3:10 mark in the video (even though he misses the basket)

[jaketwice]

TP for posting this. My question is how he is likely to fair against somoething other than a substandard 2-3 zone. That defense is clearly built to contain less than athletic players. How many of those threes is he going to have, so nice and easy, against the kind of athletic wing that plays on every single team in the NBA?

I love the way he plays in the flow of the game - makes the reasonable, intelligent pass - and I concur with you on the court vision. My issue is: how does that easy breezy beautiful style of play fit into a more athletic league? I think we have seen that intelligent players, like our own Paul Pierce, and Brandon Roy, can play a mellow style, and still be effective.

But we have also seen more mellow players struggle in the NBA: remember Gabe Pruitt? And to a lesser extent Gerald Green?

It's hard to know how these silky smooth guard stack up against real length, athletic NBA Defenders.

[Snakehead]

TP for posting this. My question is how he is likely to fair against somoething other than a substandard 2-3 zone. That defense is clearly built to contain less than athletic players.

Well to his credit I think he makes a lot of great interior passes in the highlights here.  His size allows him to throw them over top too.  Not every PG can do that.

For a guy that has been talked about more as a scorer I was impressed.

Zones limit penetration and you can exploit them with ball movement and shooting.  Seeing how quick his first step is (like mentioned before at around 3:10), I bet a big part they are in a zone at all is Exum, and he still manages to beat them with passing and shooting.

And later in the video it appears they aren't in zone.  It's man and he manages to consistently get to the rim there off drives and post ups.  He isn't shooting threes when the switch is made.

Seems like a smart and versatile player to me.

[McHales Pits]

Considering the Celts are headed for a top-6 pick and he is the one player in the top-6 that we know least about - I figured there would have been more conversation on this thread.

[Tr1boy]

Considering the Celts are headed for a top-6 pick and he is the one player in the top-6 that we know least about - I figured there would have been more conversation on this thread.

He is going to go top 5. I wouldnt be surprised if he goes ahead of wiggins, embiid or parker. Just a nice talent and a foul call waiting to happen

If we draft him he can start at sg , come off the bench as a pg and be the backup plan at pt in case rondo is gone

[SHAQATTACK]

He goes before Wiggins .

Wiggins is the high risk , high reward winner of this draft .  He could be Kobe or Shazbuzz dude who is a nothing

I think Wiggins Will be available when the Celtics draft......just not sure Danny will take him over about 6 or 7 other guys .     We already have Jeff Green . 

[footey]

He goes before Wiggins .

Wiggins is the high risk , high reward winner of this draft .  He could be Kobe or Shazbuzz dude who is a nothing

I think Wiggins Will be available when the Celtics draft......just not sure Danny will take him over about 6 or 7 other guys .     We already have Jeff Green .

Wiggins has a better handle than Green.  I think his upside is considerably greater. Also can shoot off the dribble, something I don't see much from Green. I'd draft Wiggins if BPA and trade Green.

[clover]

It does look in that video like he's playing against hobbits.

But his body looks just how you want a teenaged headed-to-the-pros player to look. And that was a lot of very, very good passes for just one game--whatever the level of competition.

I'd take him fourth after Embiid, Parker and Wiggins. And, as OP points out, maybe he's even the better pick than Wiggins.

[jaketwice]

TP for posting this. My question is how he is likely to fair against somoething other than a substandard 2-3 zone. That defense is clearly built to contain less than athletic players.

Well to his credit I think he makes a lot of great interior passes in the highlights here.  His size allows him to throw them over top too.  Not every PG can do that.

For a guy that has been talked about more as a scorer I was impressed.

Zones limit penetration and you can exploit them with ball movement and shooting.  Seeing how quick his first step is (like mentioned before at around 3:10), I bet a big part they are in a zone at all is Exum, and he still manages to beat them with passing and shooting.

And later in the video it appears they aren't in zone.  It's man and he manages to consistently get to the rim there off drives and post ups.  He isn't shooting threes when the switch is made.

Seems like a smart and versatile player to me.

I agree that he seems smart and versatile. My questions surround the fact that I doubt he has ever seen a defense that moves at NBA speeds. He has some nice little hesitation moves - but how nice are those moves with a great defender locking him down. And, of course, I did not really see him defending NBA level competition.

NCAA ball does give you a sense as to the abilities of the players on both ends, and does see them playing at speed. Obviously, not NBA speed, but high speed.

Do you want to accidentally draft the Australian Ricky Rubio?

[RJ87]

He goes before Wiggins .

Wiggins is the high risk , high reward winner of this draft .  He could be Kobe or Shazbuzz dude who is a nothing

I think Wiggins Will be available when the Celtics draft......just not sure Danny will take him over about 6 or 7 other guys .     We already have Jeff Green .

Wiggins has a better handle than Green.  I think his upside is considerably greater. Also can shoot off the dribble, something I don't see much from Green. I'd draft Wiggins if BPA and trade Green.

If we did end up with Wiggins, I'd be inclined to play him at the 2 until he bulks up a bit. He's got the quickness and athleticism to do it.

As far as Exum, I love his raw talent. His shot needs work but the mechanics look like a good base to build off of and we do have Ron Adams on staff. A potential 2 PG system with him and Rondo could be dynamic.