Heading into the 2014 NBA Draft, the Los Angeles Lakers might have their sights set on Australian phenom Dante Exum. Even though Andrew Wiggins and Jabari Parker might be available for the taking, Exum might be the player the Lakers go with and the interest appears to be mutual.
Exum recently signed with agent Rob Pelinka and is a big admirer of superstar Kobe Bryant. The Australian basketball star signed with Pelinka mainly due to the fact that he’s Bryant’s agent and could bring to the two closer in order for the promising prospect to get some much needed advice from Bryant.
Apparently, not only is Exum intrigued at the prospect of playing alongside Bryant and learning from the future Hall of Famer, but he also loves the city of Los Angeles according to Jared Zwerling of Bleacher Report:
“Definitely L.A. is one option,” he said. “I’ve been to L.A. many times and I love the city, and it is a great city. If I get the opportunity to go to L.A. and play for the Lakers, I know I’ll have love for the city. And their fans are loyal and they have the rivalry with the Clippers. But just to be in an environment where you have a great player like Kobe, where you have a mentor in a way as a rookie, I think that would be the best option.”
At this point in time, there’s no telling what picks the Lakers will have in the upcoming draft. With the way things are going, it seems inevitable that the Lakers will have a high draft pick and may be able to acquire another if able to trade Pau Gasol to the Phoenix Suns.
It’ll be interesting to see if Exum remains one of the most promising prospects in the 2014 NBA Draft and continues to peak the interest of the Lakers. Although anything can happen between now and the draft, the Lakers selecting Exum appears to be highly likely if he’s available once the team is on the clock.
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NBA Draft Profile: Dante Exum
