A bartender's story about Dante Exum's celebration after the draft

[da ThRONe]

Nothing like a summer league and a euroleague tournament dominated by veterans to sway an opinion. How many minutes would wiggins have got on team usa? He is projected to be better than many of the wings on that team and he would not have sniffed the court.

There are so many things wrong with this post.

1st Wiggins is Canadian.

2nd Even if Wiggins was on the US team being benched by proven NBA star players is not the same as being benched by some guys we never heard of and will never make it to the league.

Lastly I was never a believer in Exum at any point. So it's not that I'm bailing on him because of SL or FIBA play.

 

[stitches]

There are so many things wrong with this post.

1st Wiggins is Canadian.

2nd Even if Wiggins was on the US team being benched by proven NBA star players is not the same as being benched by some guys we never heard of and will never make it to the league.

Lastly I was never a believer in Exum at any point. So it's not that I'm bailing on him because of SL or FIBA play.

Actually Exum got benched for a player who was already in the NBA and one that had just won the Euroleague and just got signed by the Clippers. The fact that "we" don't know the players in the Australian national team speaks more about "our" knowledge of international basketball than about the ability and skills of those players.

Giannis Antetokounmpo was benched for players who've never played in the NBA, Neto was benched for a guy who will never play in the NBA, Mario Hezonja played measly 13 minutes for the whole competition behind some players that have never been in the NBA(and he's 6-7 months older than Exum and projected to go in the lottery next year)...

It speaks much more about the fact that coaches rely on proven players with experience in international competition, than about the the level of talent of those specific youngsters.

 

[da ThRONe]

Actually Exum got benched for a player who was already in the NBA and one that had just won the Euroleague and just got signed by the Clippers. The fact that "we" don't know the players in the Australian national team speaks more about "our" knowledge of international basketball than about the ability and skills of those players.

Giannis Antetokounmpo was benched for players who've never played in the NBA, Neto was benched for a guy who will never play in the NBA, Mario Hezonja played measly 13 minutes for the whole competition behind some players that have never been in the NBA(and he's 6-7 months older than Exum and projected to go in the lottery next year)...

It speaks much more about the fact that coaches rely on proven players with experience in international competition, than about the the level of talent of those specific youngsters.

Makes no difference. My point was his FIBA situation has nothing to do with my opinion of Exum. However not playing for team US is a whole different animal than not playing for team Australia.

 

[addictionary]

Not likely he could do both though is it? I think the behavior indicated in this story gives him a much greater chance of success than if he was doing cocaine off strippers.

Your sort of attitude is the type that gets us the Barry Bonds of the world, the Ray Rices, where we excuse bad behavior just because they produce on the field. Its okay man, beat your wife, beat your kids, take illegal drugs, just score for us.

I think when you say something like that, it's just that you want to make a point about the primarily importance of the athelete's performance over his social conduction. Not because you actually don't care about substance addiction or out of the line night life. So your answer sounded a bit dramatic to me. I too don't want a messed up player in the team, but who am I to judge, if the person is happy with his life the way he wants.