While he celebrated his 28th birthday this summer, we didn’t think we’d see him again Dante Exum in the NBA. Between his physical fragility and his inability to shoot from afar, the Australian leader seemed to have to continue his career in Europe, and we saw him at FC Barcelona and Partizan Belgrade. It was in Serbia, under the leadership of Zelkjo Obradovic, that he caught the eye of the Mavericks, and he thanks his coaches for being able to get the best out of him.
“Coming to Europe was a great experience for me. The game there is amazing quality and some of the best coaches [du monde] work there » he says to Sports News. “I wanted to take advantage of this opportunity to be on the field, show that I could be useful and learn more about the game. Playing fewer matches helped me not only stay healthy but be able to play more, but also with the Australian national team. »
“He wanted me to take on a lot more responsibility than the rest of the team”
After a three-month experience in Barcelona, it was in Belgrade that he returned to center stage, and he thanks Zeljko Obradovic for understanding his game and helping him progress.
“I had heard things about Zeljko Obradovic, and everyone I spoke to about him, like Ekpe Udoh, told me that he was a great coach who understood the game. And that’s why he behaves like this, yelling and telling you to do this or that. »
With his nine Euroleague titles, the Serbian is considered one of the best coaches of his generation, and he felt that Dante Exum was ready to take a step forward as leader.
“When I arrived in Europe, the big question was whether I could play point guard,” recalls Dante Exum. “Zeljko has coached a lot of great playmakers and he’s not the type to throw you on the court and give you the ball and tell you to lead the team. He wants to be sure of what you’re doing. He wanted me to take on a lot more responsibility than the rest of the team. I think that’s where I’ve grown, not only as a player, but also as a person. I knew I could be that leader, that playmaker on the field. »
| Dante Exum | Percentage | Rebounds | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | MJ | Min | Shots | 3pts | L.F. | Off | Def | Early | Pd | Party | Int | Bp | Ct | Pts |
| 2014-15 | UTH | 82 | 22 | 34.9 | 31.4 | 62.5 | 0.3 | 1.3 | 1.6 | 2.4 | 1.8 | 0.5 | 1.4 | 0.2 | 4.8 |
| 2016-17 | UTH | 66 | 19 | 42.7 | 29.5 | 79.5 | 0.5 | 1.6 | 2.0 | 1.7 | 2.2 | 0.3 | 1.2 | 0.2 | 6.2 |
| 2017-18 | UTH | 14 | 17 | 48.3 | 27.8 | 80.6 | 0.3 | 1.6 | 1.9 | 3.1 | 1.4 | 0.6 | 1.4 | 0.2 | 8.1 |
| 2018-19 | UTH | 42 | 16 | 41.9 | 29.0 | 79.1 | 0.4 | 1.2 | 1.6 | 2.6 | 1.6 | 0.3 | 1.2 | 0.1 | 6.9 |
| 2019-20 * | All Teams | 35 | 14 | 47.1 | 34.9 | 74.4 | 0.3 | 1.6 | 1.9 | 1.1 | 1.1 | 0.4 | 0.9 | 0.2 | 4.5 |
| 2019-20 * | KEY | 24 | 17 | 47.9 | 35.1 | 73.2 | 0.4 | 1.9 | 2.3 | 1.4 | 1.3 | 0.5 | 0.9 | 0.3 | 5.6 |
| 2019-20 * | UTH | 11 | 8 | 43.5 | 33.3 | 100.0 | 0.3 | 0.8 | 1.1 | 0.6 | 0.7 | 0.1 | 0.9 | 0.2 | 2.2 |
| 2020-21 | KEY | 6 | 19 | 38.5 | 18.2 | 50.0 | 0.3 | 2.5 | 2.8 | 2.2 | 1.5 | 0.7 | 1.2 | 0.3 | 3.8 |
| Total | 245 | 19 | 40.7 | 30.5 | 76.4 | 0.4 | 1.4 | 1.8 | 2.1 | 1.8 | 0.4 | 1.3 | 0.2 | 5.7 | |
How to read the stats? MJ = matches played; Min = Minutes; Shots = Successful shots / Attempted shots; 3pts = 3-points / 3-points attempted; LF = free throws made / free throws attempted; Off = offensive rebound; Def=defensive rebound; Tot = Total rebounds; Pd = assists; Fte: Personal fouls; Int = Intercepts; Bp = Lost balls; Ct: Against; Pts = Points.
