Olympics 2016: Joe Ingles confident Utah Jazz will green light Rio dream despite Dante Exum injury

BOOMERS star Joe Ingles is confident a “freak injury” Dante Exum won’t see the Utah Jazz forbid either from playing in the Rio Olympic Games.

HOUSTON, TX - APRIL 15: James Harden #13 of the Houston Rockets defends against Dante Exum #11 of the Utah Jazz during their game at the Toyota Center on April 15, 2015 in Houston, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Scott Halleran/Getty Images)

BOOMERS star Joe Ingles is confident a “freak injury” that left NBA and national teammate Dante Exum with a suspected torn ACL won’t see the Utah Jazz forbid either from playing in the Rio Olympic Games.

Exum suffered the injury to his left knee after a simple jump shot playing for Australia against Slovenia in Ljubjana​ on Wednesday morning, and was flown straight back to the US by the Jazz for tests.

​It is feared the 20-year-old pointguard has ruptured ​his anterior cruciate ligament, which would likely rule him out of the entire NBA season.

INGLES: Exum shattered by knee injury

QUALIFIERS: Aussies will have to get to Rio without Exum

Exum will miss the Boomers’ Olympic qualifying series against New Zealand later this month but he could still make the Rio Olympics in a year’s time.

With NBA owners already nervous about their million-dollar stars getting hurt on national duties, Exum’s injury could potentially see the Jazz put their foot down and convince him — and even the newly re-signed Ingles — to not play in Rio.

That scenario would weaken the chances of the Boomers of claiming their first Olympic medal but Ingles said yesterday he believed Utah would understand Exum injury was just rotten luck.

“​Injuries like that are a freak thing. He didn’t do anything crazy. He jumped, he landed and that was it. It wasn’t like he was out paragliding and landed on his knee​,” Ingles said. ​

“He was in Utah the whole off-season with them, so they knew what he’d done physically. He hadn’t done anything silly. He was motivated to get better.

“No doubt whatever comes back with his diagnosis, he will come back bigger and better.”

Ingles said the club v country debate was a constant conversation but like most clubs now, Utah are understanding of a player’s desire to represent their country.

“It is a battle that you go into every year. I think at the end of the day it is your own decision but you have to also keep in mind they do employ you, and that’s how you earn your money,” Ingles said.

“I will speak to Jazz as it gets closer to that day but I have no doubt it will be fine.”

Ingles is one of seven Australians currently playing in the NBA, along with Andrew Bogut, Matthew Dellavedova, Patty Mills and Exum, and the talented roster are hoped to crack the medal drought in men’s basketball.

Ingles, who is aiming to go to his third Olympics in Rio, says the roster strength and team cohesion has given the squad confidence they can succeed.

But they must first get past New Zealand in the Oceania qualifying series, starting in Melbourne next week. Ingles, Mills, Aron Baynes and Exum are not playing and a series of friendly matches in Europe in the last week saw the team win only one of four games.

“I watched every game and they played better and better,” Ingles said.

“They didn’t get the results but I am confident they will get the job done against New Zealand. Our guys know the situation — it’s either Olympics or not, so they’ll be up for it.”

Originally published as Olympics 2016: Joe Ingles confident Utah Jazz will green light Rio dream despite Dante Exum injury