SALT LAKE CITY — In 2014, Rudy Gobert's time spent playing with his national team was instrumental in the French center's successful second year in the NBA.
That was the best-case scenario for a pro playing for his country.
Dante Exum just experienced the worst-case scenario.
The Australian point guard injured his left knee Tuesday while playing for the Boomers in an international friendly game against Slovenia.
Initial concern is that Exum might have torn the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee, a source told the Deseret News.
Exum will return to Utah for further evaluation on his knee by the team's doctors at the University of Utah Health Care, the Jazz announced shortly after the injury occurred on the other side of the world.
If the injury is an ACL tear, surgery would be required and Exum would possibly miss the entire 2015-16 season while rehabilitating his knee.
It isn't known when Exum will arrive in Utah or how soon he will be evaluated.
Exum, who didn't miss any of Utah's 82 games as a rookie, was injured while driving into the lane against Slovenia in Australia's final game of a European tour. The point guard planted awkwardly with his left foot and his knee buckled inward as he attempted to jump for a shot attempt, forcing him to flail backwards in pain.
Barring a trade or a late free-agency signing, third-year playmaker Trey Burke would fill in as the Jazz's starter if Exum has to miss time. Utah also has two other young point guards under contract in Brazil's Raul Neto and summer league standout Bryce Cotton.
Utah drafted Boston College point guard Olivier Hanlan, but it's uncertain if he's going to sign with the team or perhaps play elsewhere as a stash player.
Shooting guard Alec Burks and small forward Gordon Hayward are also adept at running the Jazz offense.
Exum's injury has already stirred up an interesting conversation among basketball fans and media about whether players should be allowed to play for their national teams in the offseason when their NBA squads invest so much in them.
A counterpoint could be made that players will play basketball all summer regardless of whether they're in Europe with their national team or simply playing shirts-and-skins at the local gym.
In Gobert's case, he used a strong 2014 summer league showing and an even stronger performance for France in last year's European championships to catapult him into training camp with solid experiences and extra confidence.
The 20-year-old Exum has been hampered by injuries this offseason. He played well in his only summer league game with the Jazz, scoring 20 points with five assists and five rebounds, but was sidelined for the final seven contests after spraining his ankle.
Before that ankle injury happened, Exum, the No. 5 overall pick of the 2014 draft, and the Jazz were pleased with the progress he'd made since a rocky rookie season. Though he was oft-lauded for better than expected defense, the 6-foot-6 guard averaged only 4.8 points (on 34.9 percent shooting) with 2.4 assists and 1.6 rebounds.
“It was just about building that (confidence),” Exum said in Las Vegas last month. “I had that two months working with Jazz guys to do that.”
Exum returned to the Australian bench in street clothes with his left knee wrapped after suffering his injury Tuesday.
Gobert reached out to Exum on Twitter, writing, "Be strong, bro, see you soon."
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