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Alec Burks the player has been over a decade in the making.
Division I colleges didn't fawn over him when he was coming out of high school in Kansas City, Mo. In fact, Kansas State and Colorado were the only two major programs that offered him a scholarship. He chose Colorado because he had a chance to play early in his career.
During his two years with the Buffaloes, he still went largely unnoticed. Sure, the people in the Big 12 Conference knew all about him, but his name was still a mystery on the national radar.
The result? Burks is a guy with a healthy amount of confidence in his game, and a healthy chip on his shoulder, the product of spending most of his basketball life being overlooked. As the second lottery pick of the Utah Jazz in Thursday night's NBA Draft, Burks promises to bring that same hunger to EnergySolutions Arena.
And if he does, expect him to break into Utah's rotation, sooner rather than later.
"I like that Coach [Tyrone] Corbin says it will be a wide-open competition for minutes," Burks said. "That's the way I like it. It's what I've been used to my entire career. I have to earn the right to eat."
Even being a lottery pick, Burks was still somewhat in the shadow of the much-hyped Enes Kanter, whom the Jazz snatched with the third overall selection. During Friday's introductory press conference at the Zions Basketball Center, Burks was soft-spoken, appearing almost shy when speaking to the media.
But Utah believes it may have gotten a steal with Burks, a 6-foot-6 shooting guard with uncommon versatility.
Burks instantly upgrades the athleticism in Utah's backcourt. He can get to the rim off the dribble, he can finish at the basket and he can pass the ball. Kanter, with whom Burks worked out with in Minnesota, was quick to praise his ability to pass and work the pick-and-roll.
"He's a freak athlete," Kanter said. "We played 3-on-3 during our workout, and he can shoot and pass the ball. He's someone that I enjoyed playing with."
And Burks is someone whom the Jazz are relying on to play multiple positions. Already, there is talk of pairing Burks and Gordon Hayward together in the backcourt when matchups dictate. Burks will immediately be counted on to break down a defense off the dribble and to create mismatches when he has the ball in his hands.
The Jazz like the fact that he rebounds well for his position, and they think everything that he accomplished at the collegiate level will translate to the NBA.
"In today's NBA, where you can't put your hands on anyone, you need people like Alec who can get the ball all the way to the basket," Utah general manager Kevin O'Connor said.
"He's a very good athlete, and we like that he's an exceptional rebounder for his position."
Burks said that he's worked hard to alleviate the one criticism of his game — the lack of a consistent 3-point shot. He took 500 shots per day during the draft process, and he'll work with Jazz assistant Jeff Hornacek when NBA rules allow for teams to start working with their players.
In the interim, Burks said he will continue to work on his game in Las Vegas. His confidence and that chip on his shoulder are already in full bloom.
Alec Burks file
• Was the Big 12 Conference Freshman of the Year in 2009.
• Was the Missouri player of the year coming out of high school.