Dallas Mavericks combo guard Dante Exum is undergoing a career resurgence after crashing out of the league two years ago.
Find out how Exum rose from being out of the league to being a crucial member of a championship-contending team.
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Dante Exum Was A Lottery Pick
Exum was highly-rated coming out of Australia, and he was considered the top international prospect ahead of the 2014 NBA Draft.
The Utah Jazz chose the Melbourne native with the fifth overall pick in that year's draft. He played in all of their 82 games, starting 41, during his rookie season and maintained averages of 4.8 points, 1.6 rebounds, and 2.4 assists in 22.2 minutes per game, failing to get an All-Rookie nod.
Dante Exum Injuries
Exum's career trajectory suffered a setback when he tore his ACL on his left knee while representing the Australian national team in an exhibition game against Slovenia during the 2015 offseason. He missed the entire 2015-16 season due to the injury.
Exum returned to action in the 2016-17 season, appearing in 66 games and starting in 26 of them. He averaged 6.2 points, 2.0 rebounds and 1.7 assists in 18.6 minutes, failing to live up to his massive pre-draft expectations.
Ahead of the 2017-18 season, Exum suffered a separated shoulder injury during the preseason, causing him to miss the majority of the campaign, He underwent surgery in October 2017 and was limited to just 14 games for the year after returning in March 2018.
Exum's playing time with the Jazz was limited to 42 games in the 2018-19 season due to an ankle sprain he suffered in January 2019, which ultimately developed into a bone bruise.
Eleven games into the 2019-20 season, the Jazz traded Exum and a pair of second round picks to the Cleveland Cavaliers in exchange for Jordan Clarkson.
Despite the move, Exum's performance for the Cavs remained unremarkable, with single-digit averages across all statistics. Over a year later, he was traded to the Houston Rockets but did not see any regular-season action for the team.
Though he re-signed with the Rockets in the 2021 offseason and played sparingly during the preseason, he was waived before the start of the campaign.
Dante Exum Moves To Europe
Exum signed with FC Barcelona Basquet in late 2021, taking his talents across the Atlantic. During his time with the Spanish team, he primarily served as a role player, averaging single digits in scoring. Notably, he played a part in helping them secure the 2022 Copa Del Rey de Baloncesto.
In the summer of 2022, Exum joined the Serbian team Partizan NIS Belgrade, competing in the ABA League and the EuroLeague.
Throughout the 2022-23 season, he showcased strong performance averages of 13.2 points, 2.7 assists, and 2.3 rebounds per game.
Notably, Partizan concluded the season by securing the ABA League championship, with Exum earning recognition by being named to the All-ABA League Team.
Dante Exum's Renaissance
During the offseason, the Dallas Mavericks signed Dante Exum to a two-year contract at the veteran minimum, completing the 28-year-old's return to the NBA.
Exum has emerged as a key player for the Mavs this season, gaining his footing this December.
During his second start of the season against the Portland Trail Blazers on Friday, December 8, the former fifth overall pick recorded 23 points, six rebounds, and seven assists in 33 minutes, displaying impressive efficiency by going 9-of-15 from the field and hitting both of his 3-point attempts.
Exum followed up by playing another solid game against the Memphis Grizzlies on Monday, December 11. He dropped 16 points on 6-11 shooting to help the Mavs claim another win.
Perhaps his best game of the season occurred one day later against the reigning In-Season Tournament champion Los Angeles Lakers.
Exum torched the purple-and-gold franchise by scoring 26 points, shooting an absurd 8-of-10 from the field and 7-of-9 from three-point distance to help Dallas get a narrow 127-125 victory.
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