The Utah Jazz landed one of the most intriguing players in the NBA draft Thursday, taking Australian guard Dante Exum with the No. 5 overall pick.
The 6-foot-6 Exum, who will turn 19 on July 13, chose not to attend college but was eligible for the 2014 draft as an international player. He impressed NBA scouts with his athletic ability and passing skills in international tournaments, although his shooting skills are said to need improvement and questions remain about his lack of experience against high-level competition.
The Jazz took Duke forward Rodney Hood with the No. 23 pick in the first round. They traded their second-round selection (No. 35) to Memphis, reportedly for a 2016 pick.
Pleasant Grove High School graduate C.J. Wilcox, who played for Washington, went to the Los Angeles Clippers at No. 28.
Exum will compete for playing time with second-year point guard Trey Burke and is considered versatile enough to play alongside Burke. "I just can't wait to get into it," Exum said.
Burke attended the draft in Brooklyn, N.Y., and personally endorsed Exum's selection. "That means a lot, when it's coming from him," Exum said in a conference call with Utah media members.