Utah Jazz: Roster moves ‘motivation’ for Trey Burke

Doubt is a central theme in Jazz point guard Trey Burke's narrative, a thread that weaves together his childhood, a snub by the coaches at his hometown Ohio State University, a move to Utah's bench and, most recently, the arrival of a handful of new, hungry competition at his position.

Only Burke prefers to transform others' doubts into something else for himself.

"It's all motivation," he said Thursday during a conference call from South Africa, where he is participating in a week of NBA events leading up to the league's first ever exhibition on the continent. "Right now, I'm as hungry as I've ever been, to be honest with you."

After grabbing Burke, the lottery-pick point guard out of Michigan in 2013, the Jazz have gone on to add point guards Dante Exum, Bryce Cotton, Raul Neto and Olivier Hanlan to their ranks.

"At the point I'm at right now, I'm not worried about certain signings," Burke said. "I'm always a team guy. I've never been not a team player. I've never questioned anything on the team or anything like that, and I've always felt like I've worked for what I've gotten. I don't think nothing's been handed to me. I just look at it as another test. A stepping stone. You can use it as motivation going into training camp. Right now, I'm really dedicating myself and, come training camp, I know I'll be prepared, and that's all that matters."

So far this summer, Burke's preparation has taken him to an NBA event in the Philippines and, now, on an excursion to South Africa. In Johannesburg, Burke has participated in a number of community events and, along with other NBA players and coaches, has hosted basketball clinics.

"They're kind of picking up on things each and every day and running with it," Burke said of the young players he's mentoring there. "The progress day one to day two in how they're playing, they're really picking up on things quick. It kind of sounds weird, but they're not only learning from me, I'm learning from them, seeing how focused and coachable they are."

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver has said the league would consider playing preseason or even regular season games on the continent in the future, an idea Burke said he would support.

"The fans here have enough passion for the game," Burke said. "I definitely feel like the NBA is more than capable of … selling out arenas here."

The league will get a taste of that this weekend, when Burke — along with All-Stars Chris Paul, Marc Gasol and the rest of Team World — squares off against a Team Africa squad featuring Luol Deng and Giannis Antetokounmpo. Burke called it an opportunity he will cherish, and a chance to learn firsthand from some of the game's best players.

"Just to have the opportunity to be around Chris Paul as much as I have this summer, [with] Team USA, being around the best players in the world, I don't take it for granted at all," he said. "I ask questions when I have a question. I'm always watching, seeing what guys are doing, looking at their routine."

Between trips to far-flung regions, Burke said he's spent his summer days working on improving his game.

"I've been in grind mode all summer," he said. "… You look at my schedule, but I'm making sure I find the time each and every day to get in the gym and work on my game."

Specifically, the guard's efforts have been focused on improving his finishing at the rim and his jump shot, weapons that failed him too often last season. Burke shot just 31.8 percent from deep during his sophomore campaign. Overall, he became the first player since 1965 (Detroit's Ray Scott) to shoot less than 37 percent while attempting more than 1,000 shots, according to Basketball-Reference.com.

This is no doubt a critical summer and season ahead for the 22-year-old former Wooden Award-winner's future in Utah. Burke will have a chance to cement his position with the Jazz and, a year from now, he could have the chance to begin negotiations with the team on a contract extension.

First, he'll have to address some of those persisting doubts.

He should have plenty of motivation.

"Pretty much my whole basketball career, I've had people saying things like that," Burke said when asked about his recent response to two reporters who had taken jabs on Twitter at his play a season ago. "So it really doesn't bother me. … At the same time, I'm going to defend myself if I feel like someone is disrespecting me. I'm going to defend myself if I feel like I need to say something. But I use it as motivation, I do."

afalk@sltrib.com

Twitter: @tribjazz