Aussie NBA star Dante Exum is picked up and slammed into the court in wild all-in basketball brawl

Former NBA star Dante Exum is in doubt for the upcoming FIBA Basketball World Cup with the Australian Boomers after being body slammed in a violent brawl during his EuroLeague playoff game. 

The incident occurred when Exum’s team, Partizan Belgrade, led Real Madrid by 15 points with less than two minutes left to play on Thursday night. Exum was on the verge of steering his side to victory with a game-high 19 points.

However, Madrid captain Sergio Llull’s cynical foul on Partizan’s Kevin Punter ignited a fight which involved players, staff and even security guards. 

Exum stepped in to defend his teammates but was violently driven into the court by former Boston Celtic Guerschon Yabusele, leaving him with a bloodied mouth and broken toe along with a ruptured tendon. 

Exum, pictured playing for Australia against USA star Damian Lillard, is now in doubt for the FIBA Basketball World Cup in the Philippines 

‘The tendon in his toe has broken. His finger was injured and his mouth was bloody from a tooth injury,’ club medic Moma Jakovljevic told Mozzart Sport.

‘The way Jabusele threw him with a judo move, that’s for prison, for life suspension.

‘As Jabusele threw him, Exum could have broken his spine, seriously injured his head and ended his career.

‘This was terrible. I have never seen this in my life.’

Exum’s injury could be a huge setback for the Boomers’ FIBA World Championship campaign, as the 27-year-old would have been a key cog in coach Brian Goorjian’s squad. 

The incident forced the game to be cancelled, with the result awarded to Partizan Belgrade, now up 2-0 in the best-of-five series. 

Exum was racing to the aid of teammates when he was grabbed from behind by former Boston Celtics player Guerschon Yabusele

Yabusele then twists Exum to the side and pummels him into the court in an ugly move that left the Australian bleeding, injured and unlikely to be able to play in game three of the playoffs

The ugly incident is expected to draw fines and suspensions and has left tensions running high ahead of game three in Serbia, with some players fearing for the safety of the Madrid team given Partizan’s traditionally rabid fanbase.

Madrid captain Rudy Fernandez apologised for the violence. 

‘After what we have experienced today, we have to say sorry to our fans, to every basketball fan,’ Fernandez said.

‘We can’t watch this kind of incident, but as players we have emotions and we make mistakes. Today was one of these days.

‘The tension has to stop here and we will have to play just a game of basketball for the fans to enjoy the EuroLeague.’

Exum’s absence would be a blow for the Boomers after his strong contributions at the Tokyo Olympics that helped Australia secure a maiden Olympic medal

Exum began his professional career in 2014 when he was drafted fifth overall by the Utah Jazz in the NBA draft. He played for the Jazz for six seasons before being traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2020. In the NBA, he has averaged 5.7 points, 2.1 assists, and 1.8 rebounds per game.

He then moved to Europe, playing for FC Barcelona before moving to Partizan Belgrade in 2022. 

Exum was also a member of the Boomers team that finished fourth at the 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup, and he also represented Australia in the 2014 FIBA Under-17 World Championship and the 2013 FIBA Oceania Championship.