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Exum, Motum and Australia vs. Liethuania . Watch full game.

karl malone said:
I think it's a bit of an overreaction to label a 19/20 year old timid after 1 season & a few exhibition games over the summer. There are very few people who wouldn't be somewhat hesitant when transitioning from competing against teenagers to professionals, not to mention doing so while simultaneously adjusting to a new country/culture. The fact that he was not only able to stick with the team for the entire year, but actually cracked the starting lineup (of a good team nonetheless) as a teenager is a feat in it of itself. I would be concerned if he hadn't displayed the necessary physical tools to stick in the league, but last year showed that he is more than ready physically (which is amazing considering his age), & the year before that (when he was playing against competition of the same age) he showed that aggression/attacking the rim is a major part of his game/playing style.

If anything, last year was extremely encouraging when you consider the fact that he was/is being asked to compete against grown men as a not yet fully developed 19/20 year old. I could understand being concerned had he not displayed a strong work ethic, but by all accounts, Exum is a very hard worker & a person of high character. It may take a couple more years for him to put it all together, but injuries are the only potential factor I see prohibiting him from becoming a pass 1st starting caliber PG with great to elite defense, court-vision, & (hopefully) slashing ability to go along with average to above average outside shooting (which would likely be a top 5 PG in the league). Once he catches up physically to the rest of the league, I expect to see that aggression return (if not increase) & (again) become an important aspect of his game.
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This times a million. Some people need to get a clue. Sometimes I wish I could travel back in time and laugh in their pimply 19-year-old faces.
 
DownUnder said:
every one of you bitches whining about his timidity in a meaningless game will eat your words over the next two to three years.
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Oh... hope so! I'm a Dante 'homer' and was very patient and made excuses for him all last year. The single Summer League game was great... but then watching the Lithuanian... back to a very uneasy patient mode...

I'm hoping that playing the 2, trying to fit in with a new coaching environment and the Boomers is the reason... and how many barely 20 year olds step in with for more experienced players and think they should be running the show?
Was going to head down to the Slovenia game next week... but after watching this 1st Friendly... decided to spend my time at the France-Germany game at the end of the month.
We know a 23 year old who DOES think he is better than everyone else!!!
 
karl malone said:
I think it's a bit of an overreaction to label a 19/20 year old timid after 1 season & a few exhibition games over the summer.
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He was timid though. That's just a fact.
Is he the only timid 19/20 year old ever? Certainly not. But he was timid and I don't see why we shouldn't be able to talk about it.

Some 19/20 year old nba rookies were not timid
 
DownUnder said:
every one of you bitches whining about his timidity in a meaningless game will eat your words over the next two to three years.
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Hope so.
And if he becomes aggressive then we will talk about that.

I think it's weird that some of you bitches think there is something wrong with discussing how a player is currently playing and think we should only discuss his future potential and only look at the positives.
 
OK... game 2, no Dante... and Boomers down more than in game 1...
May not be worth watching...
 
Ugly game... not quite as 'Friendly' as the title, with Bogut shoving and some hard picks on both sides...
Waiting to hear why Dante didn't play, but the Boomers are not looking that good...
We'll see how it goes w/ the Slovenia games, but glad I decided not to go...
 
fishonjazz said:
He was timid though. That's just a fact.
Is he the only timid 19/20 year old ever? Certainly not. But he was timid and I don't see why we shouldn't be able to talk about it.

Some 19/20 year old nba rookies were not timid
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I'm not saying that he wasn't timid or that we shouldn't talk about it, I'm only saying that we shouldn't assume that it's a trait that will stay consistent throughout the remainder of his professional career. The intention of my post was to attempt to explain/understand the circumstances behind his timidity & it wasn't directed at any specific person or statement. As you stated, some 19/20 year old rookies are timid & some aren't. Some remain timid & some don't. I just believe that Exum has shown aggression/attacking the basket to be an important aspect of his game prior to last season & that, considering the situation (jump in quality of competition, less physical advantage-especially in strength-than accustomed to, new country/culture, new teammates/role, etc), there is reason to believe that it will continue to be an important aspect of his game as he adjusts (mentally & physically) to the NBA.
 
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fishonjazz said:
Hope so.
And if he becomes aggressive then we will talk about that.

I think it's weird that some of you bitches think there is something wrong with discussing how a player is currently playing and think we should only discuss his future potential and only look at the positives.
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Can't you stop bitching about me bitching about you bitches bitching about Dante playing like a bitch ??
 
DownUnder said:
Can't you stop bitching about me bitching about you bitches bitching about Dante playing like a bitch ??
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Lolol

I think that's the hardest I have laughed from a post on here in a long time.
Thanks bro
 
fishonjazz said:
Hope so.
And if he becomes aggressive then we will talk about that.

I think it's weird that some of you bitches think there is something wrong with discussing how a player is currently playing and think we should only discuss his future potential and only look at the positives.
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Exactly.
Can't we talk about a certain game and a player's performance honestly?
Guess what? There were games Malone or Stockton sucked. Oh, I said it...neg away!

OK, I take back everything I said about Dante. He was wonderful; played like Steph Curry out there. And the score was wrong. The Boomers actually won, with Dante dishing out 20 assists (damn score keepers robbed him) and 20 pts. (they also gave many of his buckets to other players).

Reason he didn't play in this last game is FIBA has deemed him too good to play. They don't want everyone else to just take their balls and go home. Dante is a man playing amongst boys. MVP for sure next season!
 
Stifle Tower said:
Exactly.
Can't we talk about a certain game and a player's performance honestly?
Guess what? There were games Malone or Stockton sucked. Oh, I said it...neg away!

OK, I take back everything I said about Dante. He was wonderful; played like Steph Curry out there. And the score was wrong. The Boomers actually won, with Dante dishing out 20 assists (damn score keepers robbed him) and 20 pts. (they also gave many of his buckets to other players).

Reason he didn't play in this last game is FIBA has deemed him too good to play. They don't want everyone else to just take their balls and go home. Dante is a man playing amongst boys. MVP for sure next season!
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I realize you're using hyperbole here, but must you take everything to extremes? Sometimes there's a middle ground. You should try to find it.
 
Howard said:
I realize you're using hyperbole here, but must you take everything to extremes? Sometimes there's a middle ground. You should try to find it.
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OK. Dante sucked balls in this particular game. He went back into his passive turtle shell. A complete 180 degrees from the one summer league game we saw him play in SLC when we all got wet spots from watching him perform.

What does it all mean? I haven't a ******* clue!
 
Stifle Tower said:
OK. Dante sucked balls in this particular game. He went back into his passive turtle shell. A complete 180 degrees from the one summer league game we saw him play in SLC when we all got wet spots from watching him perform.

What does it all mean? I haven't a ******* clue!
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That's why missing summer league was killer. Too many people blew it off not having him play. How different is Exum if he dominated summer league, averaging 20 pts a night? How big would that have been for his psychie knowing he dominated for 10 games?

When his Aussie coach relegates him to second fiddle, he is mentally stronger.
 
green said:
That's why missing summer league was killer. Too many people blew it off not having him play. How different is Exum if he dominated summer league, averaging 20 pts a night? How big would that have been for his psychie knowing he dominated for 10 games?

When his Aussie coach relegates him to second fiddle, he is mentally stronger.
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And the injury occurred because he was being aggressive and taking it to the hoop. Mentally, there's a chance he returns to being passive because he doesn't want get injured again. Guess we'll have to hope he plays better in the pre-season. I wish he had someone pushing him and his starting job depended on his improvement. But it doesn't.
 
green said:
That's why missing summer league was killer. Too many people blew it off not having him play. How different is Exum if he dominated summer league, averaging 20 pts a night? How big would that have been for his psychie knowing he dominated for 10 games?

When his Aussie coach relegates him to second fiddle, he is mentally stronger.
Click to expand...

I was questioned when I said he needed to play. People said "why should he play? We already know what he's got". Once again summer is the time that you get to work on things. Summer league was a prime time for him to get comfortable with himself and where his progression is at. I then got "well he has practice and preseason for that". Problem is, you don't have the luxury to work on certain things once you start grinding out a season.

I understand if his ankle was an issue he shouldn't play, but if he was able to play I think summer league would have been a great building block for him. Even now with Australia, he is too busy playing within a team, rather than working on individual skill sets.
 
Guys, Exum is going to play off the ball a lot in Utah again. Him playing off the ball is good experience. Hayward/Burks/Hood/Burke are all going to have big ball-handling roles again. Him being off ball isn't a complete waste of time.
 
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