Dante Exum faces surgery on ’freak’ injury

Australian Dante Exum will undergo surgery on his injured shoulder, likely forcing him out of the coming NBA season.

Utah Jazz guard Dante Exum grabs his injured shoulder during a pre-season game

Basketball: Australian guard Dante Exum will have surgery on his injured left shoulder, likely forcing him out of the entire NBA season and costing him millions of dollars on his new contract.

It is a devastating blow for Exum, who separated his shoulder in what teammate Joe Ingles described as a “freak” accident in a pre-season game for Utah Jazz against the Phoenix Suns on October 6.

The Jazz open their season against the Denver Nuggets on Thursday at 12pm (AEDT).

“After further evaluation, Exum has elected to undergo surgery to stabilise the AC joint of his left shoulder,” the Jazz said.

The operation is scheduled to take place in Los Angeles next week. The 22-year-old was hoping to impress in what was the final year of his four-year contract with the Jazz.

Exum had sought different medical opinions, hoping to avoid any surgery so he could play on.  Exum was driving to the basket when he collided with TJ Warren, with the Phoenix Suns forward falling on him as they crashed to the floor.

It is the second major injury of Exum’s short career. He sat out the entire 2015/16 season after suffering an anterior cruciate ligament tear in his left knee while playing for the Australian national team in Europe.

His Jazz and Boomers teammate Ingles signed a four-year, $US52 million ($66m) contract in the off-season. San Antonio Spurs’ Patty Mills also recently signed a four-year, $US50m deal.

Ingles said last week Exum was “down” after coming to terms with the shoulder injury.

AAP