Impressive video of Marcus Smart defending Dante Exum

[Future Celtics Owner]

Still, nobody has answered my question:  What has Dante Exum done since the summer of 2013?

I know the answer:

He's hidden himself away in Australia, and let the hype of that summer do the work for him.  I'm not necessarily faulting him, but that's the reality.

He had good numbers at the scouting combine. He's worked out for teams and his stocked has remained high, so it's safe to say he's done well. It's not as though he's in a cave somewhere and living off last summer.

Yeah. From what I've read, he's spent his time in the U.S. working out privately with top coaches. The kid has obvious physical tools to go along with some excellent skills. I completely understand why he's likely to be a top-4 pick, though there's no guarantee that he will pan out.

I do think Smart's floor is significantly higher than Exum's and I think his ceiling is nearly as high.

I partially agree with this.  Although, I think Smart's ceiling might be higher as well.

I agree. I am a big fan of Smart...Vonleh and Randle too. Smart has the tools to become a much better shooter in the nba that many lack.

[Future Celtics Owner]

heres a video when he was 18.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OMrDjJz6ugU

[BudweiserCeltic]

A 3-man rotation of Rondo, Bradley, and Smart could be interesting to have. Plenty of ball handling, and a lot of defense to go with it.

[chambers]

Still, nobody has answered my question:  What has Dante Exum done since the summer of 2013?

I know the answer:

He's hidden himself away in Australia, and let the hype of that summer do the work for him.  I'm not necessarily faulting him, but that's the reality.

He had good numbers at the scouting combine. He's worked out for teams and his stocked has remained high, so it's safe to say he's done well. It's not as though he's in a cave somewhere and living off last summer.

I'm just concerned that given his lack of play against legitimate competition that he'll be far from ready to contribute to an NBA team right away.  I think there's a lot of projection going on with this kid that may never come to fruition.

Anyway, I hope it ends up being someone else's fan base that ends up crossing their fingers and hoping on Dante Exum.

Well after that game, when he was 17 years old playing against the under 20 mens USA team, he scored 25 points per game over the next 4 games.
I think that's pretty good production for a 5 game sample, one of which he had a tweaked ankle.
To score that much against the best team in the world for your age is pretty significant and hardly warrants 'rolling the dice', especially after he posted impressive numbers at combine as well.

[Celtics18]

Still, nobody has answered my question:  What has Dante Exum done since the summer of 2013?

I know the answer:

He's hidden himself away in Australia, and let the hype of that summer do the work for him.  I'm not necessarily faulting him, but that's the reality.

He had good numbers at the scouting combine. He's worked out for teams and his stocked has remained high, so it's safe to say he's done well. It's not as though he's in a cave somewhere and living off last summer.

I'm just concerned that given his lack of play against legitimate competition that he'll be far from ready to contribute to an NBA team right away.  I think there's a lot of projection going on with this kid that may never come to fruition.

Anyway, I hope it ends up being someone else's fan base that ends up crossing their fingers and hoping on Dante Exum.

Well after that game, when he was 17 years old playing against the under 20 mens USA team, he scored 25 points per game over the next 4 games.
I think that's pretty good production for a 5 game sample, one of which he had a tweaked ankle.
To score that much against the best team in the world for your age is pretty significant and hardly warrants 'rolling the dice', especially after he posted impressive numbers at combine as well.

Yes, that's pretty good production for a five game sample against other amateur kids. 

Also, if Dante Exum is a top four pick based on that tournament, then Dario Saric should go in the top three. 

[chambers]

Still, nobody has answered my question:  What has Dante Exum done since the summer of 2013?

I know the answer:

He's hidden himself away in Australia, and let the hype of that summer do the work for him.  I'm not necessarily faulting him, but that's the reality.

He had good numbers at the scouting combine. He's worked out for teams and his stocked has remained high, so it's safe to say he's done well. It's not as though he's in a cave somewhere and living off last summer.

I'm just concerned that given his lack of play against legitimate competition that he'll be far from ready to contribute to an NBA team right away.  I think there's a lot of projection going on with this kid that may never come to fruition.

Anyway, I hope it ends up being someone else's fan base that ends up crossing their fingers and hoping on Dante Exum.

Well after that game, when he was 17 years old playing against the under 20 mens USA team, he scored 25 points per game over the next 4 games.
I think that's pretty good production for a 5 game sample, one of which he had a tweaked ankle.
To score that much against the best team in the world for your age is pretty significant and hardly warrants 'rolling the dice', especially after he posted impressive numbers at combine as well.

Yes, that's pretty good production for a five game sample against other amateur kids. 

Also, if Dante Exum is a top four pick based on that tournament, then Dario Saric should go in the top three.

The point is though that Exum is 17 years old, playing against guys who are two years older than him. A guard with that kind of speed, size, length and explosiveness, combined with point guard ball skills that make him a top 4 pick.

Saric is a standout for his age, but his ceiling or room for improvement are much smaller. If Saric was 17, playing against 19 year olds then he'd probably move from a top 6-12 pick, to a top 5 pick as well, depending on the talents he displayed.

Saric's two years older than Exum is the point I guess.
I do agree that you could argue that Exum has been 'hiding away', but I don't think there's as much rolling the dice, considering he's doing private workouts, NBA draft combine testing, and has posted these great numbers as a 17 year old against the worlds best in an age bracket two years above his own bracket.
Pretty impressive to me- but I see where you're coming from.
I'm saying that if we had the 4th pick, I'd hope we'd 'roll the dice' as you'd say, on Exum.

[MBunge]

Sure, his lack of experience against good competition makes him risky but talent is talent.  Just like Giannis who played against high school type competition over in Greece, Exum has a combination of physical gifts and skills that don't come around often.

Giannis averaged about 6 points and 4 rebounds on 41% shooting in 24 minutes a game.  Yeah, he's only 19 but he's also playing on a horrible team that no one took seriously.  And by the time the Bucks have to give him that first big contract, they probably won't even know if he's a legitimate starter in the league.

Mike

[CM0]

Still, nobody has answered my question:  What has Dante Exum done since the summer of 2013?

I know the answer:

He's hidden himself away in Australia, and let the hype of that summer do the work for him.  I'm not necessarily faulting him, but that's the reality.

He had good numbers at the scouting combine. He's worked out for teams and his stocked has remained high, so it's safe to say he's done well. It's not as though he's in a cave somewhere and living off last summer.

I'm just concerned that given his lack of play against legitimate competition that he'll be far from ready to contribute to an NBA team right away.  I think there's a lot of projection going on with this kid that may never come to fruition.

Anyway, I hope it ends up being someone else's fan base that ends up crossing their fingers and hoping on Dante Exum.

Well after that game, when he was 17 years old playing against the under 20 mens USA team, he scored 25 points per game over the next 4 games.
I think that's pretty good production for a 5 game sample, one of which he had a tweaked ankle.
To score that much against the best team in the world for your age is pretty significant and hardly warrants 'rolling the dice', especially after he posted impressive numbers at combine as well.

Exum's next 4 games were not against the U.S.; they were against Russia, Spain, Serbia and Lithuania. The first four games of the 9 game tourney were against China (20 pts), Brazil (12 pts), Senegal (9 pts) and Serbia (14 pts); a span over which Australia went 2-2 and Exum averaged 13.75 PPG. Not exactly awe-inspiring. It's all about potential with this kid- size, length, ball skills, quickness, leaping.

Source: http://prague2013.fiba.com/pages/eng/fe/13/fu19m/team/p/eid/9616/lid//orderby//rid//sid/9616/tid/239/profile.html

[Celtics18]

Still, nobody has answered my question:  What has Dante Exum done since the summer of 2013?

I know the answer:

He's hidden himself away in Australia, and let the hype of that summer do the work for him.  I'm not necessarily faulting him, but that's the reality.

He had good numbers at the scouting combine. He's worked out for teams and his stocked has remained high, so it's safe to say he's done well. It's not as though he's in a cave somewhere and living off last summer.

I'm just concerned that given his lack of play against legitimate competition that he'll be far from ready to contribute to an NBA team right away.  I think there's a lot of projection going on with this kid that may never come to fruition.

Anyway, I hope it ends up being someone else's fan base that ends up crossing their fingers and hoping on Dante Exum.

Well after that game, when he was 17 years old playing against the under 20 mens USA team, he scored 25 points per game over the next 4 games.
I think that's pretty good production for a 5 game sample, one of which he had a tweaked ankle.
To score that much against the best team in the world for your age is pretty significant and hardly warrants 'rolling the dice', especially after he posted impressive numbers at combine as well.

Yes, that's pretty good production for a five game sample against other amateur kids. 

Also, if Dante Exum is a top four pick based on that tournament, then Dario Saric should go in the top three.

The point is though that Exum is 17 years old, playing against guys who are two years older than him. A guard with that kind of speed, size, length and explosiveness, combined with point guard ball skills that make him a top 4 pick.

Saric is a standout for his age, but his ceiling or room for improvement are much smaller. If Saric was 17, playing against 19 year olds then he'd probably move from a top 6-12 pick, to a top 5 pick as well, depending on the talents he displayed.

Saric's two years older than Exum is the point I guess.
I do agree that you could argue that Exum has been 'hiding away', but I don't think there's as much rolling the dice, considering he's doing private workouts, NBA draft combine testing, and has posted these great numbers as a 17 year old against the worlds best in an age bracket two years above his own bracket.
Pretty impressive to me- but I see where you're coming from.
I'm saying that if we had the 4th pick, I'd hope we'd 'roll the dice' as you'd say, on Exum.

You may think I'm being too nit-picky here, but that tournament was an under 19 tournament, not an under 20 tournament, and Dario Saric is just about exactly one year and three months older than Exum.  I call that a year older, not two. 

Also, I've looked through the names of the guys who played in that tournament, and other than the American team (featuring Gordon, Smart, Elfrid Payton, and Jahlil Okafor), Saric for the Croatians, Ennis (who was the tournament's leading scorer) from Canada, and Micic from Serbia, it's not exactly a who's who of 2014 draft prospects. 

[Global Celtic]

heres a video when he was 18.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OMrDjJz6ugU

The Mike Tyson of Basketball.

[Galeto]

Still, nobody has answered my question:  What has Dante Exum done since the summer of 2013?

I know the answer:

He's hidden himself away in Australia, and let the hype of that summer do the work for him.  I'm not necessarily faulting him, but that's the reality.

He had good numbers at the scouting combine. He's worked out for teams and his stocked has remained high, so it's safe to say he's done well. It's not as though he's in a cave somewhere and living off last summer.

I'm just concerned that given his lack of play against legitimate competition that he'll be far from ready to contribute to an NBA team right away.  I think there's a lot of projection going on with this kid that may never come to fruition.

Anyway, I hope it ends up being someone else's fan base that ends up crossing their fingers and hoping on Dante Exum.

Well after that game, when he was 17 years old playing against the under 20 mens USA team, he scored 25 points per game over the next 4 games.
I think that's pretty good production for a 5 game sample, one of which he had a tweaked ankle.
To score that much against the best team in the world for your age is pretty significant and hardly warrants 'rolling the dice', especially after he posted impressive numbers at combine as well.

Yes, that's pretty good production for a five game sample against other amateur kids. 

Also, if Dante Exum is a top four pick based on that tournament, then Dario Saric should go in the top three.

The point is though that Exum is 17 years old, playing against guys who are two years older than him. A guard with that kind of speed, size, length and explosiveness, combined with point guard ball skills that make him a top 4 pick.

Saric is a standout for his age, but his ceiling or room for improvement are much smaller. If Saric was 17, playing against 19 year olds then he'd probably move from a top 6-12 pick, to a top 5 pick as well, depending on the talents he displayed.

Saric's two years older than Exum is the point I guess.
I do agree that you could argue that Exum has been 'hiding away', but I don't think there's as much rolling the dice, considering he's doing private workouts, NBA draft combine testing, and has posted these great numbers as a 17 year old against the worlds best in an age bracket two years above his own bracket.
Pretty impressive to me- but I see where you're coming from.
I'm saying that if we had the 4th pick, I'd hope we'd 'roll the dice' as you'd say, on Exum.

You may think I'm being too nit-picky here, but that tournament was an under 19 tournament, not an under 20 tournament, and Dario Saric is just about exactly one year and three months older than Exum.  I call that a year older, not two. 

Also, I've looked through the names of the guys who played in that tournament, and other than the American team (featuring Gordon, Smart, Elfrid Payton, and Jahlil Okafor), Saric for the Croatians, Ennis (who was the tournament's leading scorer) from Canada, and Micic from Serbia, it's not exactly a who's who of 2014 draft prospects.

Yeah, Exum is one of the youngest in this draft class but there wasn't a big age difference between him and the other players in the U-19s.  Aaron Gordon is actually younger than Exum by a few months and Smart is only 8 months older and Payton only 7 months.  Vonleh didn't play in the tournament but he's a month younger than Exum.  Exum wasn't a boy playing against young men.

In Exum's favor is that he's played well in every international setting he's been in.  The U-19s, the Nike Hoop Summit and the Adidas Nations.  The sample size is small but he's always shown he's belonged and then some against some of the best American players his age.  Regardless, he's one of the few players in this draft who has the profile of a high possession player and I think that makes him more appealing that potentially high end role players like Gordon.

[Global Celtic]

I think it highlights how good they both are.
Exum at 17 years old just completely burning everyone off the dribble (except Smart).

And Smart showing how well he can move laterally and keep his body in front of even the quickest guards. Also it highlights Smarts ability to 'watch and learn' from Exum, recognizing he loves going to his right and then trying to take away Exum's preference.

Great video. Thanks for sharing. TP.

I can't stop watching this video. The moment when Smart understands Exum is ripping the US defense apart and says "I got him" is the kind of toughness and responsability that we need from a leader. Not a spoiled and arrogant - although talented - "leader" like Rondo. We'll never be a contender again with Rondo as our "leader". And President Brad Stevens' motion offense will never work with Rondo.

[rondohondo]

I think it highlights how good they both are.
Exum at 17 years old just completely burning everyone off the dribble (except Smart).

And Smart showing how well he can move laterally and keep his body in front of even the quickest guards. Also it highlights Smarts ability to 'watch and learn' from Exum, recognizing he loves going to his right and then trying to take away Exum's preference.

Great video. Thanks for sharing. TP.

I can't stop watching this video. The moment when Smart understands Exum is ripping the US defense apart and says "I got him" is the kind of toughness and responsability that we need from a leader. Not a spoiled and arrogant - although talented - "leader" like Rondo. We'll never be a contender again with Rondo as our "leader". And President Brad Stevens' motion offense will never work with Rondo.

A good coach should be able to adjust for then talent he currently has on the team . Rondo is not a horrible shooter like everyone makes him out to be, and he can obviously pass the ball . He is a top 15-20 talent in the NBA and top 5 come playoff time.  If you can get a great return for Rondo, then I have no problem moving him, but that's not going to happen because he only has 1 year left on his contract .

The smart thing to do IMO is see how Rondo and Smart can work together.  We have Smart on a rookie contract for 5 years , it's not like he needs to be the starting PG tomorrow , or maybe ever. He could very well be a sg in the NBA , and if he gets a consistent Jumper , look out . A rondo and Smart backcourt could be very dynamic on both sides of the ball , and in the open court.

You put some shooters around smart and Rondo (Love please)and let them go to work .

If we are just patient , we can sign Love or Gasol next year in free agency

I made a thread about it here
http://forums.celticsblog.com/index.php?topic=72020.msg1694126#new

PG: Rondo  / ?
SG: Smart  / Young
SF: Green  / Wallace
PF: Sully    / KO
C:  Gasol  /  KO

OR

PG: Rondo  /
SG: Smart  / Young
SF: Green  / Wallace
PF: Love    / KO
 C: Sully   / KO

That is easily a 50 win team with upside .

[Sketch5]

I love how quick Smart is for his size. Even taking the ball up the court, he flies, but is under control.

And his arms...Wow. He checked Exum on time and it looked like he was 4 feet away and could still tough him. That helps with cutting off the offensive player. Which is why Exum hurt his ankle.

Geez, some people break ankles with cross overs, Smart does it with D.

And his shooting from videos looks good. His form isn't bad. Just needs to get more consistent.

Glad to have this kid on the team...