Exum matching expectations with NBA's Jazz

Oct 23, 2014 - 5:38 PM For NBA standards, The Honda Centre in Anaheim is past its prime, with old portable metal chairs inside the 18,300-seat indoor stadium and the hallways in the bowels of the building as bleak as a haunted hospital.

On a recent evening, in the hallway outside the visitors' locker room that was signposted with masking tape and black pen, there was a glow.

It was the NBA's new golden boy Dante Exum.

"Every day I'm learning and trying to get better," Exum, a small backpack strapped to his shoulders, told AAP.

The 19-year-old from Seabrook, Victoria, had just shown why the Utah Jazz selected him with the fifth pick of the NBA Draft ahead of many elite products of the US college basketball system, including University of Kentucky power forward Julius Randle.

The Los Angeles Lakers selected Randle with their seventh pick.

On this night at the Honda Centre, Exum, playing point guard, guided the Jazz to a 119-86 preseason game romp over the Kobe Bryant-led Lakers.

A near-flawless Exum had 13 points, six assists and, most importantly, no turnovers from almost 19 minutes on the court.

Randle had four points and was benched by Lakers coach Byron Scott in the second half for not playing "hard" enough.

Jazz coach Quin Snyder, who had defended Exum against critics, particularly after he had eight turnovers three nights earlier in a poor game against the Los Angeles Clippers, described the Laker game as the Australian's best.

"I thought he was more poised with the ball and got himself into positions where he made good decisions," Snyder said.

"He was much more efficient."

The Jazz, who had perhaps the greatest point guard in NBA history from 1984 to 2003, John Stockton, view Exum as their future.

But, with Exum 196cm tall to Stockton's 185cm, he is a completely different player.

If the Australian does bloom into the elite point guard Snyder and his Jazz organisation hope, he'll provide a match-up headache with every team.

Exum, with his long limbs, also possesses electric speed.

He can throw the missile pass, but can get to the hoop for a slam.

"I think he's going to be really good," Clippers coach Doc Rivers said in a post game press conference.

"I just think he's so darn long. How old is he, by the way?"

When a reporter said Exum was 19-years-old Rivers exclaimed: "Jesus, he could grow two more inches".

Ironically, the key to Exum's big game against the Lakers and in the future, according to the Jazz, is playing small.

When Exum is dribbling the ball, they want him to get down lower to maintain balance.

In the game against the Clippers where he almost had double figure turnovers, Exum played too high with the ball.

The nugget-like 183cm tall Clipper All-Star Chris Paul feasted on the Australian rookie.

"He's cut so high, that's why he's so fast," Snyder, describing Exum's unusual, but perfect for the NBA body type, explained.

"For his build, because he's so lean and long, sometimes shorter, stronger players can get into him.

"He stayed down and I thought it helped his balance."

Source: AAP