NBA draft prospect Dante Exum has committed to the Boomers for this year's basketball world championships as the teenaged Australian guard eyes a big payday in the United States.
Exum, 18, has nominated for June's NBA draft and has been tipped by some as a top-five pick.
Having already donned the gold strip of his country at junior and senior level, Melbourne-born Exum's rise to NBA prospect prompted fears he might walk away from Australian commitments.
However, he put those concerns to bed on Friday, declaring himself available for the Boomers in this year's world championship in September in Spain.
"I've made it clear to my agent that he's got to put that into any contract I sign with a team that I will be available for those world champs," he said.
"It will be a busy stretch of the year with all the commitments but I'm ready to put on the Australian jersey. I love doing it.
"It's been one of my dreams for the longest, playing for Australia in the Under 19s and the Under 17s the year before was a great honour."
Exum was named in the All-Star five at both those tournaments where Australia finished in the top four.
It would be a major step up for Exum at the world titles, where the Boomers have not finished in the top eight since 1994.
Several of the NBA's biggest stars are expected to play in Spain, led by in-form Oklahoma City Thunder forward Kevin Durant.
Exum will head to California on Tuesday, where his management team - which he shares with Kobe Bryant - will prepare him on-and-off the court for the draft.
The well-spoken Exum has travelled between the US and Australia under the care of his father and former NBA player Cecil Exum, who took a greater role nurturing his son when he missed out on a Victorian under-16 side.
Cecil was drafted in 1984 by the Denver Nuggets and later settled in Australia where he played in the NBL for the North Melbourne Giants, Melbourne Tigers and Geelong Supercats.
As a born-and-bred Victorian, Dante Exum was enjoying another of his great loves on Friday, venturing out to Essendon's training base to meet the team he's supported for as long as he could remember.
Wearing a famed red sash guernsey with his name on the back, he showed up Bombers key forward Joe Daniher on the court - to the delight of his teammates - despite giving away a few inches in height.
