Cecil Exum

Cecil Maurice Exum (August 7, 1962 – July 2, 2023) was an American-Australian professional basketball player who played eight seasons in the Australian National Basketball League (NBL). He played college basketball for the North Carolina Tar Heels, who won an NCAA championship in 1982.

Early life Exum was born in Goldsboro, North Carolina, to parents Johnny and Barbara Exum. He led their team to the 1980 North Carolina 4A state title, and he was named the tournament's most valuable player. As of 2012, he was the only male basketball player to have his jersey retired by the school.

College career Exum played four years of college basketball for the North Carolina Tar Heels between 1980 and 1984. He was a member of the Tar Heels' 1982 NCAA championship team that included future Hall of Fame players Michael Jordan and James Worthy. He suffered a serious knee injury just before the tryouts began and never played in the NBA. preferring an English-speaking country after his stint in Sweden. In his second season for the Boomers in 1987, he was named to the All-SEABL Team.

In 1988, Exum joined the North Melbourne Giants of the Australian National Basketball League (NBL), but was unable to play due to not being naturalized yet. and won an NBL championship. 10.5 rebounds, two assists, 2.4 steals, and 1.5 blocks per game. In 197 NBL games, he averaged 10.7 points, 6.9 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 1.2 steals per game. He and his wife Desiree had three children: Jamaar (born 1993) and twins Dante and Tierra (born 1995). As of 2014, Desiree was based in Singapore working for IBM. His son Dante also became a professional basketball player.

As of 2017, Exum had been coaching junior basketball players for 27 years in Melbourne.

Death Exum died in Los Angeles on July 2, 2023, at the age of 60.