Absolutely not.

Most St. Mary's guys leave that school with loads of bad habits and the last thing he needs is to be too comfortable with his surroundings.

Exum is a special player and should be going to the best possible school that can push him the farthest, playing in a tough conference where he faces other great players as often as possible.

Bad habits? lol Ben Allen syndrome. hahahahaha.

Wouldn't be that bad of a decision though because at Saint Mary's could slot in and be the man straight away after Delly's departure but seriously you have to consider the best.

I mean if Indiana or something want you you better go!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

haha Ben Allen learned bad habits somewhere. Whether it was AIS, Indiana, or St. Mary's is anyone's guess.

hasnt he signed intent with Indiana?

Pretty sure they have him in their class of 14 promotions?

He has not yet committed to any team. The only school he has visited is Indiana and they remain keen.

Would be amazing, would love to see it happen!

Dante has offers from:
Boise St.
Georgetown
Indiana
LSU
SMU
Tulsa
Vanderbilt

I love St Mary's & Randy Bennett is a good coach.
But it would be hard to go past Indiana & Georgetown.
They play in great conferences & you would regularly complete against the best players in the college system. Dante wouldn't do that at St Mary's.

*Another Aussie at Boise St would be pretty awesome as well & the mountain west is a good conference.

Hell no. No chance of him going to St. Marys. Too small time

St Mary's would definitely love nothing more than to get a truly elite recruit into their program, but there's basically no chance of it happening. St Mary's has always been a team that has played beyond its individual talent level. Teams in their own conference like BYU and Gonzaga are still able to attract higher rated recruits so it's a tribute to their program that they've been competitive and on many occasions outperformed these teams.

Even considering that any college team would love to have Exum, he would be an especially valuable recruit for St Mary's as a long guard given they recently lost the previously committed Cullen Neal to New Mexico, after his dad replaced Alford as coach. As a highly touted high school player he was meant to fill the breach left by Dellaveodva.

That makes sense. I guess there is no competing with the powerhouse schools. I don't like how Kansas has 6 of the top 25 recruits in the US committed for next year. It's similar to the Miami heat mentality of numerous stars ganging up to get an easy route to the championship. If you are an NBA lock, why not go your own route and create your own legacy instead of hopping on the dream team bandwagon. I always found the Curry or McDermot situations more compelling than guys going one and done from factory schools. Probably why I have grown fond of St Mary's - great selfless team ball, exceed expectations, etc. Even if landing Dante is a pipe dream, I hope the pipeline continues.

I just meant that lots of guys come out of St Mary's with bad habits on the defensive end and wind up a little too trigger-happy from deep.

Exum needs to be pushed defensively and be playing against the best guys in the nation every game.

Lou, these are kids predominately from low socioeconomic backgrounds that generally want to fast-track their careers.

What's this crap about "going your own route and creating your own legacy"? In the end it's about $$$, and how to maximize the well-being of themselves and their families.

Keep in mind they're kids making decisions to the best of their ability, and factory schools have proven taking this route can work for top recruits: 4 first-round draft picks last year all from Kentucky.

Also, Doug McDermott played for Creighton largely because his father was the coach...

Dante had a great game today off the bench in the Nike Hoop Summit.
16 Pts (6 of 8 Shooting)
3 Rebs
2 Ass
2 St
1 Bl
1 TO
In 22 mins

Easy mate, just my personal preference as a sports fan. Of course these kids need to do what's best for themselves and their family. I just don't like the vibe of the Heat/Kentucky situations. I believe Michael Jordan made a comment along the lines that nobody saw him seeking out other superstars from his era - he wanted to be the man and lead his team to a championship.

I'm not saying Kentucky's recruits should go to St. Mary's FFS, but maybe other big time programs like Duke, UNC, etc. It's more fun to watch and I imagine more beneficial for these guys to play against each other. With the possible addition of Wiggins to that class and the numerous sophomores returning, it's a safe bet that some of these kids will be role players while some will ride the pine. As a five star recruit, there's really no excuse for that. The kids who get the short end of that situation will not be maximizing their playing potential or fast tracking their route to the NBA. They will be sitting on a bench when they could be the star on 90% of college teams.

Throw in the fact that Calipari is a snake who "over recruits" past his teams scholarship limit and has bailed on two other schools after racking up up major violations and I have no problem rooting for the St. Mary's of the world.

Also, McDermot was never on the radar of the big time schools. Pretty sure he was committed to Northern Iowa before his dad was hired at Creighton. At least he finished off his career dancing on not one and done in the NIT. He will be in the NBA next year right alongside Willie Cauley-Stein, you tell me which player and fan base had a better experience this season.

I wasn't suggesting that you were suggesting top recruits should go to St. Mary's, but you were suggesting they should go to smaller schools out of principle.

Sitting on the bench as a freshman, training with ultra-talented players and acclaimed coaches while waiting for their playing opportunity doesn't sound like a terrible option to me. Regardless, to each their own, and these players can always transfer.

A college legacy doesn't mean all that much until the player proves his worth at the professional level, and a legacy isn't guaranteed no matter where they go.

I wasn't even having a go at you, but "creating your own legacy" is stereotypical fanatic jargon that doesn't have much of a place in the real world.

Mo making a lot of sense.

I think these kids might care a lot about creating a legacy like most big time athletes do. You think MJ, Kobe, and LeBron don't think about it? These guys are always talking about how many rings they have, who would win one-on-one, etc. Professional sports is hardly the "real world", and creating a legacy is an inherent part of it.

Sitting on the bench and waiting to play is a terrible option if, as you suggested, these kids are only worried about making it to the NBA and getting paid. You need to play a lot and play well to make the NBA - it's that simple. I'm not saying these kids should go to smaller schools out of principle, I'm saying they should not put themselves in a position where they aren't going to play.

I do think it would be cool if some of them went to mid-majors, but that is mainly based on the fact the I'm a college hoops junky with an old school point of view. Steph Curry's time at Davidson and Carmelo's time at Syracuse was awesome in a way the factory schools can't really match. I would bet their legacy at their alma maters is important to them, especially Melo's national championship. Delly will never buy a beer in the San Francisco Bay Area, and I for one think that's a cool thing. Just my opinion mate.

The move that makes the best sense for Exum is one where he is able to play straight away. Major minutes is what s going to see him progress as a player. This could be at a smaller college or even in Europe with a smaller team who needs a player of his skills set.

St Mary's problem has always been they recruit only one player of note each time around. Del needed a big man, Mills needed a defensive 2 or 3. Exum will need another piece (not outstanding but solid) to help take the focus off him..Do know that

Wonder if it is true that he is becoming real close with both Andrew Wiggins and Livio Jean-Charles which could see him go either way with his decision making...

St. Mary's would make sense for Thon Maker and Ben Simmons in the future....

"A college legacy doesn't mean all that much until the player proves his worth at the professional level, and a legacy isn't guaranteed no matter where they go."

Professional sports is all about the "real world". What a fanatic does is get caught up in the media's hype and representation.

You're talking about a the professional careers of Kobe/LeBron/MJ. You do realize that college players aren't recognised as professionals? Otherwise they would be paid.

I could list hundreds of standout college players that haven't made as bigger impact as expected in the NBA; many of which from mid-major programs! But yeah, a college legacy counts for heaps...

I love watching the mid-majors (inc. Saint Mary's) thrive, but bagging the players, universities and the system because a number a top-quality players are drawn to a particular program is a pointless exercise.

Besides, having recognized programs and powerhouse schools is what makes those Cinderella stories that made the NCAA tournament all the more special. Just my opinion, mate.

Plenty of guys from big name schools flame out in the NBA as well. I don't see the correlation between a college legacy and NBA success. But if you're going to play a year in college, why not strive to create one? Does Andrew Gaze have no legacy in Aussie hoops because he didn't succeed in the NBA? Greg Oden has no legacy at Ohio St? Morrison at Gonzaga?

If your real world includes getting paid millions of dollars to play a children's game and world wide celebrity status, I am impressed. Let's be honest. Athletes have huge egos and are often competitive to the point of fault and confident to the point of ignorance. Thanks for informing me that Kobe is a professional and college kids don't get paid - because amateurs aren't concerned about their reputation or where they stand compared to other top players? Numerous 17 year old kids in this year's McDonalds All-American game stated they would not only beat Jordan in his prime in a game of one on one, they would hold him scoreless. The Kobe / LeBron mentality of wanting to establish your greatness is not exactly unique to the professional level.

The media plays it up, but you are crazy if you think Kobe doesn't compare himself to MJ, LeBron to both of them, and on down the line. Players have always done this at all levels. The best players generally want to create a legacy and be considered the best wherever they played - high school, college, and pros.

I am a basketball fan, so I guess that makes me a fanatic. If you're good enough, you will succeed in the NBA no matter where you played in college. If you're going to play a year in college, I simply prefer the Carmelo approach.

I reckon these days if you're good doesn't matter where you go you'll be in the NBA. Weber State's Damian Lillard is proof of that.

Even though I said he should probably play for Indiana if he joined the Gaels i'd be punching the sky cause that means he's on TV for all of us!!

"St. Mary's would make sense for Thon Maker and Ben Simmons in the future"

You're joking right??

Just another perspective on the Kentucky recruiting. Would you not get more out of training day in day out against possible 5-6 other NBA caliber players than being a Doug Mcdermott at Creighton??

I would go to Indiana. nice city up there although the winters are a cold. thats coming from someone who lives in brisbane in Aus and Orlando in the US.

Don't everybody play basketball up in Indy anyways?
Dante needs that loyal supporting type of city.
If he goes to st marys he's just facilitating a stigma, a team strong on recruiting australians. But if he commits to a larger/stronger program. He can be a big fish, he's got mad skills . Just hope he doesn't go somewhere carrying hype, gets homesick, plays mediocre and just steps into the draft.
Teams would love to develope the next kyrie irving

Exactly, he doesn't need the foot-in-the-door that St Mary's gives lots of Aussie guys who are unheralded internationally.

As for TV coverage in Aus, won't ESPN Australia catch on to the fact that one of our most highly-touted-ever products is playing at Indiana and give him a little bit of air-time? Or aren't they that switched on...? (serious question)

St. Mary's does give some Aussies a foot in the door, and Exum certainly doesn't need that. But as their guards provide 2/5 of the Boomer's starting five, and Daniel Kickert was the last man cut from the London squad, I wouldn't say they only get lower tier Aussies. I'm all for Dante tearing things up at Indiana, but I wouldn't mind seeing him being the next Aussie sensation at St. Mary's. All I was trying to get at in this thread.

I think the recruiting world need to understand something about Dante - He is a quality human being. I have known him well and have watched the careful approach that his family has taken with his basketball development since he was 8 years old. He's a very loyal kid with big dreams and the aptitude to fulfill those dreams.

I have no up to date knowledge of his recruitment however I believe he holds his fathers legacy very close to his heart and I also believe this is the reason he has not paid visits to most of the schools recruiting him. It is possible he is waiting on UNC to offer and on the back of his effort on the weekend for the World team they may just be writing a letter - keep your eyes and ears open.

If the before mentioned letter is not forthcoming I expect he may land at LSU. His friendship with Ben Simmons is as close as two teenage boys get and considering they have so much in common I think they would be conspiring to play together just as they did at Keilor and Vic Metro several years ago. With David Patrick close to both families and basically driving the recruitment at LSU I think Ben is a lock for LSU providing David Patrick is still there in 12-18 months.

Having said that, Dante is his own man and will make his own decision on what is best for him....my opinion an LSU or Indiana would be the best fit as he would have good players around him which would allow "his team" to compete with anyone and ensure he was not playing behind anyone. I wish him luck and believe he and his family will make the right call.

Would love to see Simmons and Exum at LSU along with signee Darcy Malone. Aussie are already popular there with the punters at the football program. I think this could be a really good situation in a tough league as well.

Yeah that article is referencing some really old tweets. Don't think we will see him the gail colours.

just go to the god damn nba