Dante Exum escapes serious injury after Euroleague playoff body slam

The basketball world says the punishment handed to Guerschon Yabusele is far too lenient as Boomers guard Dante Exum avoided serious injury for the sickening on-court attack.

The five-game penalty handed down to the former NBA player who body slammed Australian Olympic bronze medallist Dante Exum to the hardcourt has been branded by the basketball world as too lenient.

But Australia’s FIBA World Cup selectors can breathe a sigh of relief after the star guard was reportedly cleared of serious injury after the violent attack put an early end to the Euroleague playoff clash.

An independent disciplinary judge dished out a series of suspensions emanating from the melee during game two of the series between Real Madrid and Partizan Belgrade, with Exum’s attacker former NBA forward Guerschon Yabusele banned for five games.

The basketball community has decried the penalty.

“It was a disgusting act to grab someone from behind and slam them into the court. The penalty was way too lenient in my opinion,” former Boomer Ryan Broekhoff said.

“The penalty was lenient. I was pretty shocked when I saw it. To see Dante lifted off the ground, that was awful. He’s very lucky to escape (serious injury). That could have been really bad,” veteran point guard Kyle Adnam added.

Dante Exum body slam video

“There’s a 0 missing after this 5 yea? Only 5 games is wildddd. Smh,” former Melbourne United guard Pete Hooley tweeted.

Scans on Saturday allayed a club medico’s initial fears Exum had a ruptured tendon in his second toe, leaving the door open for a potential game-three appearance and providing a huge boost to his World Cup hopes.

The former NBA guard issued a thanks to his fans after a “crazy” 24 hours.

“The team of doctors here are doing everything they can to treat the injury I suffered during the altercation,” he wrote.

“My focus is to do whatever it takes to get back and continue this journey to bring Belgrade and its fans the Euroleague title they deserve.”

Telegraf reports the 27-year-old Aussie guard’s lip was cut and teeth chipped but scans revealed no fractures in his toes.

The 198cm guard is a key cog in Australia coach Brian Goorjian’s squad for August’s World Cup.

Dante Exum released this statement on Saturday. Source: Instagram

Goorjian said he was shocked by the attack on Exum.

“It (the body slam) was horrible,” Goorjian said.

“I hope his injury isn’t serious.

“All the Boomers support Dante. He is a major piece for our World Cup campaign.”

Both clubs were slapped with 50,000 Euro fines and three other players were suspended for their roles in the fight, which forced referees to cancel the game with a little under two minutes to play and Partizan leading by 15.

Yabusele, a 2016 first-round NBA draft pick with the Boston Celtics issued an apology in a statement on his Instagram.

Idk if you wanna get on that plane to Belgrade now… https://t.co/UXUZD5f473

— Jock Landale (@LandaleJock) April 27, 2023

“I deeply regret my behaviour at last night’s game. Basketball is about sportsmanship and friendship. My sincere apologies to Partizan, a club with which we have always had a great relationship, to Dante Exum and his family, to my teammates, my club, and all the fans,” Yabusele wrote.

Madrid’s Sergio Llull, who sparked the fracas with a cynical foul on Partizan’s Kevin Punter, has taken responsibility for the cowardly act that ignited tensions.

“What happened last night should never happen on a basketball court. I take responsibility for making that harsh foul that triggered the subsequent disaster. My apologies to all basketball fans,” Lull wrote, in Spanish, on his Twitter feed.

Real Madrid play Zaragoza Sunday in the Spanish domestic league ahead of a trip to Belgrade for game three on Wednesday at 4.30am AEST.

Aussie NBA big man Jock Landale, who, in 2018, made his pro debut for Partizan, has warned the Spaniards can expect a hostile reception from an already sold out crowd – especially if the incredible scenes that greeted the team at Belgrade Airport.

In spine-tingling viral vision, Exum can be seen on crutches as hundreds of fans chant and celebrate the team’s arrival.