Exum’s calm and confident performance, stable touch and ability to lead the offense can help his teammates integrate not only in transition between offense and defense but also in half-court offense, giving the whole team a low-key and stable sense of security. Especially when Luka and Kyrie Irving are off the court, this feeling is a luxury that Dallas has rarely had in years…
Imagine if Luka Dončić, who came from the European continent, Slovenia and Real Madrid, found a player with the same high golf IQ as him, more physical fitness, the ability to switch to off-ball play, and not afraid of big scenes, who could score key shots. What about one-hit teammates?
This player can read the game and know when to wait for the ball in the corner and when to cut to the basket and let his teammates sneak into the paint for easy points.
The player has been under tremendous pressure, sometimes to the point of being aggressive, in front of packed stadiums in Europe. These pressures made him learn to swim against the current, not be afraid of the spotlight, and rely on strength to overcome doubts.
If the above description reminds you of Luka Dončić, there is actually another person on the Mavericks who also meets this condition:
The video above is from a Serbian League match between Partizan and Crvena Zvezda – the team that Dante Exum played for in Europe the previous year. In the atmosphere you experienced last season, can you imagine how much competition in this environment can improve a basketball player’s psychological quality?
As a big player born and raised in Australia, Dante Exum was selected by the Jazz in the 2014 draft. Then he suffered from long-term injuries. After transferring to the Cavaliers in the fifth season of his career, he finally had to leave the NBA in 2021. ; However, in just 2 years in Europe, we have seen his incredible growth. During this period, Exum played for Barcelona for one year and Serbia for the other year. The experience in different countries over the years allowed him to return to the NBA rotation list this year, and even started every game after Kyrie Irving retired from injury. , and helped the Mavericks achieve a record of 5 wins and 2 losses.
His calm and confident performance, stable touch and ability to lead the offense not only help his teammates integrate during offensive and defensive transitions but also in half-court offense, giving the whole team a low-key and stable sense of security. Especially when Luka and Kyrie Irving are off the court, this feeling is a luxury that Dallas has rarely had in years.
Photo credit: Getty Images
Even if he is pulled to the third position, a position where he occasionally starts, the effect is outstanding. Especially when fighting alongside Luka and being strongly double-teamed by the opponent, Exum’s presence will pose a considerable threat to the opponent.
Exum is one of the few positive examples in the league of people who have “traveled in Europe” experience and gave back to the NBA. European basketball is of great help to the development of a role player, helping them understand their position and how they can contribute their strengths.
This is exactly what Exum is demonstrating for us now. Opponents have yet to treat him the same way as Kyrie Irving on the defensive end, allowing him to play extremely efficient basketball next to Luka. His style of play is a perfect match for Luka Dončić. .
As Mavericks columnist Josh Bowe mentioned recently: Deploying an all-around forward who is not just a fixed-point shooter next to the Dallas twin stars can really bring about huge changes.
Head coach Jason Kidd agrees: “His (Exum) basketball IQ is pretty high. He knows how to play and he’s not afraid of the big plays. He’ll keep attacking, cutting to the basket and creating opportunities. If you Having a guy like Dante as your third ball-handler makes the game easier for Kai (Irving) and Luka.”
If you want to become a top team, it is no longer enough to just stand passively in the corner and wait for Luka to pass the ball in the open space. The Mavericks need a new face who can read the game, advance off the dribble and create scoring chances.
Last season’s European League MVP: Sasha Vezenkov, also traveled across the ocean to join the Kings this season. He is another example of the league’s “You are strong when you live in Europe”. Today’s NBA requires shooters to do far more than just hit the ball after catching the ball; after continuing to prove to the coach his off-ball movement, empty-handed cutting and efficiency, Vezenkov’s playing time has gradually increased. among.
2023-12-22 04:56:26
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