In his first NBA season, Collin Sexton achieved a feat that put his name on a list that previously included only Larry Bird and Stephen Curry. In his third season, Sexton had the highest scoring average for any former Alabama player in NBA history.

But in the two seasons since, Sexton has played in 59 games and missed 105. In the 2023-24 season, Sexton is aiming to duplicate a feat from his rookie year and play in every game.

“I put my time in,” Sexton said on the first day of the Utah Jazz’s training camp this week. “I feel healthy. I’m excited. Coming off injury last year and playing, it was different. I wasn’t able to work out in the summer. I wasn’t able to play. But this summer, I was able to play as well as lift and get to the goals that I wanted to. I feel great. I’m excited, and I plan to play a whole 82 this year.”

After joining Cleveland as the eighth pick in the 2018 NBA Draft, Sexton was the Cavaliers’ leading point producer in each of his first three seasons. In the 2018-19 campaign, Sexton became the third rookie in the league’s history to average at least 16 points per game while shooting at least 40 percent from 3-point range and 80 percent from the free-throw line.

In his third year, Sexton boosted his scoring average to 24.3 points per game after scoring 16.7 as a rookie and 20.8 in the 2019-2020 season. Sexton’s scoring average in 2020-21 surpassed the 24.2 points per game averaged by Latrell Sprewell for the Golden State Warriors in the 1996-97 campaign for the Crimson Tide’s NBA best.

Sexton sustained a season-ending meniscus tear on Nov. 7, 2021, in the Cavaliers’ 11th game of the 2021-22 campaign.

A restricted free agent in 2022, Sexton signed a four-year, $72 million fully guaranteed contract, so the Cavaliers could trade him as part of a deal to obtain all-star guard Donovan Mitchell from Utah.

In his first season with the Jazz, Sexton averaged 14.3 points, 2.2 rebounds and 2.9 assists in 48 games. Sexton missed seven games in December and six in January before playing in only one of Utah’s final 22 games because of hamstring problems.

“It was very, very frustrating, just because you have to have some type of patience,” Sexton said, “and after a while, your patience tends to go away a little bit. But I would say patience was one thing I had to continue to learn and know that we’re just trying to finish the year, finish the year strong and finish the year healthy. That’s all that matters.

“And me playing the last game versus the Lakers, it allowed me to feel at ease. OK, I played well. We didn’t win and get the outcome, but I felt like I was out there and being able to make an impact when I was. I was excited about that.”

Last season, veteran point guard Mike Conley ran Utah’s offense. Conley led the Jazz in assists for the season even though Utah traded him to the Minnesota Timberwolves on Feb. 9.

“Mike had a huge impact on the team when he was here,” Sexton said. “I feel like me watching behind him allowed me to steal some things from him and be able to use in my game.”

This season, Jazz coach Will Hardy said he hoped to use a more old-style backcourt with both guards able to initiate the offense.

Other candidates for playing time at guard with Utah include Jordan Clarkson, Kris Dunn, Ochai Agbaji, Keyonte George and Talen Horton-Tucker.

Clarkson averaged 20.8 points per game for the Jazz last season. Agbaji was a first-round choice in the 2022 NBA Draft, and Keyonte George was a first-rounder in 2023. Dunn returned from the NBA G League and averaged 13.2 points and 5.6 assists in 22 games for Utah last season. Horton-Tucker started 19 games after Conley was traded and averaged 18.2 points and 6.0 assists in that span.

“I’m very excited and looking forward to competing during training camp,” Sexton said. “Whenever I step between those lines, I know I’m competing. Whether it’s a shooting drill, a sprints drill, whatever it is, I’m going to compete, so I look forward to it, and I’m excited.”

The Jazz tips off the 2023-24 season against the Sacramento Kings on Oct. 25. Before that, Utah will play a five-game preseason schedule, starting on Sunday against the Los Angeles Clippers. The Jazz also plays the Clippers on Tuesday, the Portland Trail Blazers on Oct. 14, the New Zealand Breakers on Oct. 16 and the Kings on Oct. 19.

Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter at @AMarkG1.