Utah Jazz rookie Dante Exum struggling to find his offensive mojo

DANTE Exum has conceded he is feeling the pinch in his rookie NBA season.

DANTE Exum’s baptism of fire into the NBA has been filled with plenty of highs, but Utah’s Aussie point guard is starting to feel the pinch in his rookie season.

The 19-year-old says the reality of playing against the best players in the world night after night is finally catching up to him.

“It’s been a long season for me. As a rookie, you go through a lot. You get tired playing all these games, and all the travelling,” Exum told The Salt Lake Tribune’s Gordon Monson.

“It’s just something you’ve got to learn to deal with. Going night after night. That’s been a bit of a shock for me. It’s what I expected, but you never really know it until you live it. My body feels good, it’s just the mental tiredness, but I feel fine.”

Dante Exum has the ball stolen by Charlotte’s Kemba Walker. Picture: Getty Images.

Exum concedes the key to growing his stature in the NBA is being more aggressive on the offensive end of the court.

“I think I’ve done well on defence, buying into our defensive rules. But when I have the ball, I need to go strong to the basket and create some things,” he said.

“I want that mindset to score. If I do that, I can find my confidence, find my shot. I’m trying to utilize (my first step), figure out how I can use it within the offence.

“I’ve gone away from some of the things that got me here, so I’ve got to bring that back and put it all together. Trying to get yourself going, trying to create, that never hurt anybody. Coach has been harping on me for a while now, trying to get me to be more aggressive.”

Despite knowing he needs to be more aggressive and his constant work with coach Quin Snyder, Exum still seemed uncertain of how to improve this crucial part of his game.

“Uh,” he said. “I dunno.”

Exum’s defensive game has been solid.

However, a lean run of form hasn’t dampened coach Snyder’s optimism that Exum can have a bright future in the NBA.

“That happens, especially when you’re 19,” Snyder told the Salt Lake Tribune.

“It’s just a process for him. But as far as losing confidence, I don’t lose confidence in him. I really believe in him, his ability to improve and become whatever it is.

“I don’t think we can define Dante’s game yet. I think we’ve got to kind of keep asking him to work on certain things and see where it takes him.”

Originally published as Utah Jazz rookie Dante Exum struggling to find his offensive mojo