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NBA DRAFTJune 26, 2014Dante ExumBROOKLYN, NEW YORK THE MODERATOR: Dante, if you could just start with opening statements, feelings about being drafted by Utah. DANTE EXUM: You know, it's an unbelievable experience. Words can't explain. It's just great. I had a chance to talk to the coach and how he's going to use me and how I fit into the system. So it's just I can't wait to get to Utah tomorrow and start getting to work. Q. Dante, what was the situation in terms of whether you were going to work out with Utah? Why did that not happen? DANTE EXUM: Looking at the Draft and where I was placed, me and my agent thought that I wouldn't get down to 5, but anything happens in the Draft, and you see I'm lucky enough that Utah believed in me and pick me up at 5. Q. And your thoughts about you and Trey Burke are both point guards. What are your thoughts about that? DANTE EXUM: The Australian team, Patty Mills and Matthew Dellavedova, and I'm in that system, and those are both point guards. So you work around it. I think I already spoke to him, and he's excited to have me, and I'm excited to be there. I know we're both going to give up something a little so everyone's happy. Q. Dante, congratulations and welcome to Utah. Last year the Utah Jazz had one of the worst offenses in the league. What can you give the Jazz fans to cheer about? DANTE EXUM: They got a new coach now, so I'm sure it's going to be a different system. I like to play up and down and kind of find my guys in transition. I think the coach being a point guard, he's going to know how to utilize me and Trey. So that's what I mean to do. Q. Dante, congratulations. How much have you seen the Utah Jazz play over the last year or so? And, two, in your limited conversations with the franchise, what's impressed you most about the direction they're headed in? Is? DANTE EXUM: I haven't seen a lot of Utah. Over in Australia, that's not one of the teams that play. We only get three games a week. So I'm excited to learn what their culture is about and the rich history they've had. What was the last question? Q. What's impressed you so far? In the conversations you've had about the direction they're heading in it. DANTE EXUM: They brought in a new coach who's a point guard. So that's exciting for me and just to be able to put myself in a situation where I'm able to learn and grow as a player and point guard. So I think that's the most exciting thing. Q. Dante, so the Jazz went into this process pretty clear they wanted to get a franchise player and an All‑Star out of this pick. Is that you? If so, can you talk a little bit about why that's in your future. DANTE EXUM: That's the future. You never know what's going to happen in the future. I take it one day at a time. I'm trying to do what I can now so I can get to that caliber. There's been many players that have been projected and never got to that. But I'm just going to work hard every day and see what happens. Q. How excited are you to move past this process now and play five‑on‑five again and introduce yourself to the NBA. DANTE EXUM: It has been a long process. I played a bit of five‑on‑five but not enough. Just to know where I'm going to be living is just a huge relief. I can't wait for Summer League, and I can't wait for the season to start. Q. Talk about coming to a new country and being able to adjust to the culture and everything and the language‑‑ well, not language, the culture and just how things are done in the professional level in America. Talk about your learning curve. DANTE EXUM: I've been here for four or five months, and Australia's very similar to the U.S., so I don't think coming over here is going to be too much of a cultural difference. It is going to be a learning experience heading into the professional world. I've had a bit of practice with the AAS and learning how to be a professional, but you never know until you get there. I'm just looking forward to clinging on to someone that knows the ropes already and learning off them and what they've done to be successful and stay in the NBA. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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