With a rookie Donovan Mitchell currently tearing up the NBA, it’s easy to forget the Utah Jazz still have Kangaroo KObe — Dante Exum — on the sideline, just waiting to fulfil is destiny as one half of DMX, the NBA’s best bloody backcourt. And with news breaking that Exum is finally back doing proper basketball drills, let your mind drift back to 3 years ago today, when Exum was a rookie himself, showing off the skills that made him the No. 5 overall pick that year.
Unfortunately, like the poor English fella trying to import some tea back in 1773, Son of Cecil had a pretty rough night of it in Boston. Channelling Kobe himself and knowing that you miss 100% of the shots you don’t take, Exum put up exclusively three-pointers — four of them, to be exact — and only hit one in his 18 minutes, as the Jazz lost to the Boston Celtics by a single point.
Still… If nothing else you’ve gotta admire the gunner spirit of the Seabrook Sensation… and considering he was covered by defensive terrors Avery Bradley and Marcus Smart, it’s pretty bloody impressive he even got four shots off. Any other player with less grit and determination probably would’ve given up, wandered down Boylston, pulled up a pew at McGreevy’s and sank a couple of pints instead.
Dante’s Peak also added a couple of boards and an assist… just a peek at what the young fella is capable of. With that in mind, I for one cannot WAIT for him to get healthy and sling some bullet-passes to his compatriot Jingling Joe Ingles for some picture-perfect three-bombs and FINALLY team up with Donovan Mitchell to show us just dominating that Jazz DMX backcourt can be!
#ONYA Dante!
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