Dante Exum was named the Don Deeble Rising Star by the Sunshine Western Region Sports Club last week. 55180 Picture: KRISTIAN SCOTT.
By LIAM TWOMEY
IT is official, Dante Exum is the best in the West.
The 17-year-old Seabrook resident was last week named the Don Deeble Rising Star winner for 2011-12 after a stunning 12 months on the basketball court.
Exum represented Victoria and Australia in a range of state, national and world championship events and has established himself as one of the most promising young basketball players in the world.
Although the man of the moment could not be present for the night, his father Cecil was on hand to collect the award and the $5000 cheque donated by the Yarraville Club Cricket Club.
Cecil thanked the Yarraville Club and Don Deeble organisers, the Sunshine Western Region Sports Club for their support of Dante’s achievements and said to win the award was a big thrill for his son.
“As a family, we have athletic kids and we definitely want our kids to participate at every level they can,” Cecil said.
“Dante will possibly be going with the under-19 Worlds team and he will be in the under-20 state team early next year so it’s already spent.”
Australian under-17 basketball player Michael Luxford and Australian under-19 netballer and athletics champion Morgan Mitchell were named joint runners-up on the night.
The pair each receive $2500 donated by the Yarraville Club Cricket Club.
Over the year, Yarraville Club donates $20,000.
For Exum, it is another highlight in a booming career which included being named in the All Star Five at the World Championships in Lithuania. Cecil said his son was rapt with his performance, particularly when it came to matching it with the American juniors.
“He thought that he could hang with the Americans and that was his goal,” Cecil said.
“They went to a pre-tournament in Spain and I talked to him about how they guard you.
“I said what they will probably do is try to highlight you and double-team you and stuff like that. He has control of the ball a lot and has opportunities to score.”
After making his name in the western suburbs, the world stage is next for Exum who is already getting interest from American college recruiters.
Although Cecil was drafted into the NBA after a successful college career in which he played with Michael Jordan, Exum already has plans to go one better than his dad.
“That is his dream. He always says to me, you got drafted, but I’m going to make an NBA team,” Cecil said.
“I hope he does. That would be one of my proudest moments. I think if he continues on the development road he is on he will definitely be a future NBA player.”
The Don Deeble award is run in conjunction with the Star News Group. Promising athletes who have achieved outstanding state or national results can nominate by emailing starsport@starnewsgroup.com.au
