If he is guaranteed a top 3 spot, he'd be mad to let it go. Who knows what happens in college? Could blow out his knee and never be the same again. This way he gets a guaranteed 3 or 4 year deal for 3 to 5 million a year.

His projected top 3, in one of the best drafts ever and his Father wants him to go straight to the NBA. Going to collage can only do ONE thing and that is lower his stock.

Going to college = A lot of risks, very little reward.

Ok, so he is top 3 at the moment.

If all things go really well at college, he may be a number 1 pick in the 2015 draft.

But, there is so many variables.

He is potentially jeopardizing been a lottery pick/1st round pick, just to play a year of college so he can try to move 2 places up the draft.

He is ready.

I take it back to the Steve Adams argument. I think it makes just as much sense to go to the NBA early and develop there, then to develop at College.
The difference in the style is huge, which means if your going to be an NBA player, why spend what could be your rookie year in the NBA at college?

At the end of the day IMHO, I think its better to have a 19 year old developing in the NBA, rather than a 19 year old developing in college.

Otherwise, it's like making someone do science homework for their english exam.

It makes so much sense for him to skip college. His stock is sky high right now anyway and going to college would likely only hurt it. Sure it would help him develop his game but I see Exum very similar to someone like an Archie Goodwin. Goodwin went into Kentucky with huge raps and was tipped to go top 5 early on. Goodwin couldn't really fit in either guard position and just didn't fit the system well at Kentucky. Stock dropped so low that most mocks had him as a mid second rounder before Phoenix 'gambled' on him with the last pick in the first round. Draft stock CAN drop that much, why risk it?

He should go strait to the NBA! Even if he gets injured in his first season and for some reason never returns he can still go and complete university anywhere in the world! He has an amazing opportunity and would be stupid not to take the chance and get drafted into the best and highest paying basketball league in the world!!!

He has his head screwed on right also, so college would be completely useless. If he had issues with his temper or personality in general then college would make sense to fix that first, but he doesn't so no point ruining a career over a single college year that would probably do him no justice and hardly improve his game

I agree, many scribes suggest the NBA is about the right time and right place with the right hype as much as anything, so if now is the right time then good luck to the boy...

As suggested on here months ago he isn't going to go to college because he doesn't qualify academically

In case anyone missed him on The Project last week:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VBpvwypNyJQ

It is like winning lotto you might only get one chance to get the cash so you grab it.

You don't delay it and it might not be there!

I think his stock will only drop if he hits college. However it would be better for him long-term.

"It is like winning lotto you might only get one chance to get the cash so you grab it."

There are multiple lotteries games available for anyone to purchase on a daily basis. There is also no skill involved with winning lotto whatsoever.

That was a pretty bad analogy. Do you bowl underarm?

Thank you Mick!!!!! Finally someone on this board who gives a damm, instead of just looking at the short-term $$$$.

Look NBA has never been as deep as in the nineties because players are skipping college and not learning the fundamentals. I don't care how good Dante Exum is if he played in college it could be good for him.

Remember Tayshaun Prince, Roy Hibbert, and Jammeer Nelson all completed four years in college. Actually Hibbert was laughed at for staying and he dropped his position. Now Hibbert is one of the best centres in the NBA with a Max contract. Who is laughing now?

Are you guys suggesting that no one gets any skill work or one on one coaching outside of the college system?

Are you implying that when you get to the NBA you are left to coast along without any opportunity to improve your fundamental skills and that all development is done beforehand, at college...?

really!!?

Dude top 3 is like winning the lotto!

Going to college unpaid means anything could happen like lossing that guranteed cash!

College might be good for development but breaking legs & doing knees while not getting paid won't be good for his stock/development.

Go get paid and good on him!

Basketball will be Dantes career.. there is little doubt, this is like doing an apprenticeship for a job you already have got in the bag. A waste of time... Go straight to the NBA... you will be developed there, what could be better for your development then being thrown straight into the fire?.... A year college is a year wasted. Do people seriously think college would develop you better than NBA?...

A year of college could hurt his stock. Strike while the iron is hot.

If he posts a you tube vid of him dunking on his Dad his stock will go through the roof.

I don't think too may people would knock back going top 3. Big pay day coming his way.

What happens if he went to college now and got seriously injured? Too big a risk, straight to the NBA.

Biggest surprise for me is Chad Ford saying he's a possible number one pick.

There's no way in hell that anyone is going to pick Exum over Andrew Wiggins.

The guy is good but Wiggins is a freak.

Can't see him going ahead of Randle either.

Definitely 3-5 in my opinion.

^^lol

To scared Gaze's son might to college ... and dunk on him!

Go get ya NBA contract young fella... the rest is just a waste of your time

Fair enough. Hopefully Exum gets the kind of game time in his first year of NBA basketball that will help him develop into the player we know he could be.

Anonymous!?!?! You think Lebron and Kobe "undoubtedly regret skipping college"!?!?! You are talking about 2 of the best basketball players on the earth right now!.. I am sure they feel they have developed just fine!

Kobe Bryant thinking to himself..

"MAN.. my fundamentals are AWFUL! I wish I wish I had stayed in COLLEGE"


That, Anonymous.. is a thought that has NEVER HAPPENED

"Hard work beats talent when talent doesn't work hard." -Kevin Durant

The argument for going to college is that it predominantly gets you mentally prepared for the rigors of NBA basketball. Once it becomes a fulltime job, there are countless hours to hone skill. Training for skill is more or less inconsequential for the better players in college because they already have it--it's about getting your mind right.

Further, NBA club's practice facilities are open 24 hours. The thing is that if you don't have your mind right, you won't properly utilise the facilities and opportunities available to improve skill. It all stems from the mind for these guys.

LOL you sound a tad simple Anonymous..

Even Shaqs been dunked on.. so, I can say with great confidence at some point in Dantes career he will get dunked on.

I am sure he is well aware that he isnt as big as many in the NBA... and he would be working on it, He is bigger then he was last year.. so long as he keeps growing, by the time he is 20-21 he will be up to par. He will still be an 18 year old playing against men a decade or so older... Cut him some slack.

As long as anon contributes to the economy in some form...

You claim to have a better job then me... before even knowing what my job is... and the clincher is, your job is just at the Coopers Brewery!

Been sampling too much of the product I think..

The way you speak of yourself anyone would think your a pre-cancerous Steve Jobs

Can I also add, by calling you simple.. I wasn't even meaning to offend you. it was just pretty simple commentary of the situation... I have heard some pretty indepth explanations of what Dantes strengths on weaknesses are... you just kinda said HES GONNA GET DUNKED ON.... kinda reminds me of something steve carfino might say as one of his more enlightening points.

And when I hear people get so very excited about dunking, just reminds me of the kids behind me at the 6ers games.. who rate how good a player is, or isnt by there ability to dunk. (I am not saying thats what you did.. its what it reminds me of)...

Anyway, I found your post amusing... and wasn't really meaning to call you stupid. its just the post was simple.... simple and a little amusing.

Anyways. Dante will be our 5th guy in the NBA next season it seems..

Hey guys, if you are going to debates the merits from high school to pro, could you be please try and be a bit objective?

Yes there is Kobe Bryant and Lebron James but there is also Kwame Brown, Darius Miles, Sebastian Telfair, Jonathan Bender and Leon Smith.

Call me old, but I use to love NBA in 1990 -1996. Where drafts were deep and players were drafted because of talent not because of 'potential'. That's what wrong with the draft these days. Players are willing to sacrifice their development and be drafted on potential, then go to college and become possibly the next Larry Bird.

And for any of you critics that want to have go at me. I remember Jordan suggesting that NBA players should at least do two years of college ball before going pro.

Lamar Odom also suggested he regretted going pro so early. And wanted to develop his game in college more so he could become awesome in the NBA. Odom would of been much better if he waited and matured a little a bit more.

This thread is exhibit a, b and c for the argument for mandatory poster registration for this forum...

To quote anonymous "He has only played against white bois in aussie! U wait until he comes up against the more athletic africans in america! He will get dominated!"

Dude... Are you the same guy who works at the coopers brewery?

You don't think NBA execs would have an idea what kind of competition he plays against?... You sound like a moron, a hater without reason to hate. Dante dominated in the fiba world champs (played against americans)... he was good when the world team played the USA>... he has already proven himself against and with the top players of his age in the world.. and in his draft class.... Why don't you post under a name from now on? so maybe you can be held somewhat accountable for your moronic ignorant statements?

Dante is SO GOOD that they project the kid top 3 BEFORE GOING TO COLLEGE... NBA execs know more about the game then some anonymous hater clown on the net who says junk just because he has no game himself.

Ha. Right.. Ok then. Its an interesting version of reality you live in

Go NBA

I agree with the real Mick

@David, Pretty sure the only reason Odom is regretting not going to college now is that he could take as many drugs as he wanted without the scrutiny.
For every High School Success there is a High School Failure. Some of those failures mentioned before may never of made it out of college so they should be greatful they got there big pay check when they did.

OMG!

Someone on this thread is SEVERELY lacking in the sarcasm detection process.