Former teammates Jack McVeigh and Dante Exum exchange friendly banter ahead of Adelaide’s clash with Utah Jazz
ADELAIDE 36er Jack McVeigh has been trading trash talk with former AIS teammate turned Utah Jazz star Dante Exum before the pair go head-to-head in Salt Lake City on Saturday.
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ADELAIDE 36er Jack McVeigh has been trading trash talk with former AIS teammate turned Utah Jazz star Dante Exum before the pair go head-to-head in Salt Lake City on Saturday.
McVeigh and Exum lived at the institute of sport in Canberra for two years and in 2013 won a championship on the same school team together at Lake Ginninderra.
“We lived together, worked out and trained together, he’s a really good dude,” McVeigh said.
“We’ve been talking some smack. I told him I was going to put him in the post and big guard him and get some buckets.
“And he’s been telling me he’s going to dunk on me, so it’s been fun.
“He’s a really good kid, good head on his shoulders and works hard so he’s going to be alright (after all his injuries).”
McVeigh signed his first pro contract with the 36ers this year and was excited about playing in the NBL so this week’s NBA game became a huge bonus.
“I saw when it was announced and got so excited, it will be a fun challenge,” he said.
“We want to show the world how good the league is, well coached teams and great players.
“It’s not beyond us (to challenge Utah Jazz), we’ve got a really good team and can all get some buckets and play defence.
“We have to change things a little bit but just focus on us.”
McVeigh has impressed with his athleticism over pre-season training and looks likely to have a big impact off the bench early in the NBL season which for Adelaide tips off against Perth at home on October 11.
“It always has its challenges as a new guy coming in but Joey’s been really accepting and the guys have been great,” he said.
“Joey said to me ‘just come in and be you’, as a rookie he doesn’t like to put too much pressure on so just play defence and be aggressive.”
reece.homfray@news.com.au
Originally published as Former teammates Jack McVeigh and Dante Exum exchange friendly banter ahead of Adelaide’s clash with Utah Jazz
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