Dante Exum Wants to Have 'Major Impact' on Jazz: 'Even Taking the Last Shot'

Injuries have prevented Utah Jazz guard Dante Exum from reaching his potential, but the Aussie has high expectations for himself entering the 2018-19 season.

In an interview with Olgun Uluc of Fox Sports Australia (h/t Jason S. Walker of SLC Dunk), Exum talked about the type of player he hopes to be during the upcoming campaign:

"I'm going to earn my minutes, earn my time and be in one of those critical roles where I can have a major impact. Not just an impact; a major impact on a team. I want to be that guy on at the end of the game, and even taking the last shot. I think that's a goal I've definitely set for myself, and expect myself to make. Obviously I can't control some injuries and stuff, but I'm doing everything I can now to make sure I stay on the court and stay healthy."

The 23-year-old Exum appeared in just 14 regular-season games last season due to a shoulder injury.

Exum stressed the importance of staying healthy next season and being available for his team: "I wanna play 82. I played 82 in my first season. That's 100 percent my No. 1 goal."

After the Jazz selected Exum with the No. 5 overall pick in the 2014 NBA draft, he showed great promise as a rookie and played in every game. He then missed the entire 2015-16 season because of a torn ACL before appearing in 66 contests in 2016-17.

Last season, Exum averaged 8.1 points, 3.1 assists and 1.9 rebounds in 16.8 minutes per game. He also shot a career-best 48.3 percent from the field.

While those numbers don't jump off the page, he was efficient, and his production translated to 17.5 points, 6.6 assists and 4.0 rebounds per 36 minutes.

From a skill-set perspective, Exum is focusing on becoming a better shooter entering the 2018-19 campaign:

"The biggest thing is the shooting consistency. I think one thing, for me, is I've got the form down. It's just about getting those reps, that consistency with the shot, and being comfortable with it, and confident. I've always said to myself, 'The day I go 0-for-10 from three will be the day I'm comfortable,' because then I know I'm comfortable with my shot, and know that, even if I miss some, I'm gonna make the next one. ...

"It was always that I'd get too excited once I got that three, because I hadn't got a shot, or I'd just got in. It's just getting that comfort level that, once I've got that three, I've been there many times and I know I can make it."

Exum is a big-time talent who has yet to scratch the surface of what he can do in the NBA, but significant playing time may be hard to come by next season since he is behind starters Donovan Mitchell and Ricky Rubio in the backcourt pecking order.

He will also be forced to battle Alec Burks, Raul Neto and rookie first-rounder Grayson Allen for playing time.

Exum's hope of being the guy who takes the last shot seems ambitious as well since Mitchell is one of the NBA's fastest-rising stars, and he figures to be in that position more often than not.

Even so, a healthy and productive Exum could go a long way toward elevating the Jazz from a solid playoff team in the Western Conference to a true contender.