Three years ago today, Dante Exum — aka Kangaroo Kobe — was a long-limbed rookie taking the NBA by storm like he was back schooling fools on the Tarneit blacktops! And on this night back in 2015, in only his 34th NBA start, Son of Cecil pulled ‘em on for the Utah Jazz and shredded the Sacramento Kings like he was Mitch Johnson charging in against the Poms on a WACA hardtop… for a CAREER HIGH NIGHT!
Now, Utah’s game plan is usually about as cutting edge as Gabriella Cilmi, but on this night, Dante’s Peak took the playbook and went as rogue as my mate Tall Kane after about sixteen green demon tins where you later find him buried in a hedge in Heathmont.
But how’s this? Clearly possessing more playmaking skills than David Mamet, Arthur Miller and John Stockton combined, Dante’s Peak went HAM on the Kings for an insane TWELVE assists that were all pinpoint, Thomas Carr College-textbook perfect!
Granted, the Seabrook Sensation was being guarded by Ty Lawson who was already probably more four sheets to the wind than your Uncle Kev at 3pm on Christmas and subsequently trying to track about eight different Dantes at once also while also wondering if Stalactites was still open so he could go get a kebab.
But still. 12 assists!
Kangaroo Kobe also threw in a bucket for 2 points (on a classic Kobe-esque 1-of-4 from the field, and 0-of-2 from 3), and used those arms of his that are longer than Hervey Bay carpet python to snag a rebound that made Jerry Sloan — watching from the stands — cry a single tear at its fundamentally sound perfection.
Now, Dante also had 3 turnovers and got slugged with 2 anti-Strayan fouls by the mongrel refs, but you get that on the big jobs, and anyway, that’s still a 4-1 AST/TO ratio, and plus, stats are for nerds.
But there you go! A career high 12 assists in only 29 minutes! No wonder Dante — who, don’t forget, is the son of Geelong Supercat, North Melbourne Giant and Melbourne Tigers legend Cecil Exum… who *also* won a bloody NCAA title for the North Carolina Tar Heels with the GOAT Michael Jordan and Big Game James Worthy back in 1982 — is probably the best point guard Australia has seen since Phil Smyth’s shiny bald head was tearing it up for the Canberra Cannons!
#ONYA Dante!