Dante Exum on his role with Partizan: 'I will be playing a bit more as a point guard' / News - Basketnews.com

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After spending his first half-season in Europe with FC Barcelona, Australian guard-forward Dante Exumwill now have the opportunity to work with one of the living legends of European basketball in Zeljko Obradovic.

Dante Exum

Team:FC BarcelonaPosition:PGAge:27Height:198 cmWeight:86 kgBirth place:Melbourne, AustraliaProfileNewsStatistics

His move toPartizan Belgradeconfirms the ambition of the Serbian powerhouse to immediately become a major force in the EuroLeague. The Australian guard quickly adapted to European basketball, and after his time in Barcelona, he now looks ready for a new adventure.

"Last year, was eye-opening to the sight of European basketball. I loved it, it was a great experience. The main thing I loved was the fans. I've talked to a lot of people about Partizan fans," Exum told Partizan TV in an interview.

"When I was 15-16, one of my friends in Australia was Serbian and that's when I was introduced to Partizan fans. He said there's nothing like this in Australia or in the States. When Jock Landale signed there, I learned more about them. I'm excited about getting out in front of the fans in a EuroLeague game. I've heard many stories about how passionate they are," he continued.

Over 25 EuroLeague games with Barca, 26-year-old Exum averaged 6.3 points, 2.5 rebounds, and 1.6 assists, as opposed to 10.0 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 1.2 dimes in the ACB League.

The 1.96-meter was also a part of the Australian national team in the Tokyo Olympics last summer. He helped Australia win bronze medals by registering 9.0 points, 3.7 rebounds, 2.8 assists, and 9.2 PIR over 20 minutes.

"It was an amazing experience for me, like an introduction to European basketball. We played Germany, Italy, Slovenia. Someone told me that every EuroLeague game can match the intensity and pressure of our bronze medal game. Every win matters and it's physical basketball," he commented.

Dante Exum

MIN:16.97PTS:6.28 (63.33%)REB:2.48As:1.64ST:0.52BL:0.28TO:0.96GM:25ProfileEuroLeague2021/2022

Asked about what is there to expect from his role on his new team, Exum said that "the idea of me signing with Partizan is to bring that aggressive mindset."

"I will be playing a bit more as a point guard, which I love to do, setting up the team. I also love to play in transition, be aggressive and find people on the perimeter. This is going to show this year. On the defensive end, I can switch from 1 to 3, it's one of my biggest assets. I'm going to play hard every night," he pointed out.

Exum was the fifth overall pick in the 2014 NBA Draft (Utah Jazz) but he has been injury-prone, including missing the entire 2015-16 season due to an ACL tear in his left knee. The Aussie international has NBA career averages of 5.7 points and 2.1 assists in 245 games (72 starts) with the Jazz (2014-19) and Cleveland Cavaliers (2019-21). He has shot 40.7 percent from the field, including 30.5 percent from the 3-point range.

In the interview, Exum admitted that "after last year, I couldn't wait to try the NBA again," adding that "I'm still excited about coming back to Europe and give it another crack."

"Even last year, I talked to Saras a lot about the style of European basketball. Last year, i came in the middle of the season, playing from December on. This year is going to be good. I'm going to start with a team fresh, and learn the system from the start," he concluded.

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