Bucks' Parker ready to 'step up as a leader' in his 3rd season

Entering his third season, Jabari Parker is ready to take the reins of the Milwaukee Bucks.

"I feel like this is my year to really show what I can do and be a main guy on the team," the 6-foot-8 forward told SLAM's Franklyn Calle. "I want to be able to step up as a leader this year."

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He's healthy and committed to performing well consistently so he can help his squad win.

"I feel good," said Parker, who at 21, is the third youngest player on the team. "(This season) is really something I look forward to. I feel like the challenge itself is just the game-by-game process because it's all about remaining consistent. That's the challenge I want to take up - individually and for my team.

"Last year, we didn't really get into a streak of winning games - so we have to take it game by game and just take advantage of the health I have now."

The Bucks finished with a 33-49 record in 2015-16, missing the postseason after making it to the big dance the previous year.

Parker was sidelined during that playoff run, having suffered a torn ACL that forced him to miss the final 57 games of his rookie season.

It was an underwhelming campaign for the No. 2 overall selection in the 2014 draft, and although he was healthy this past season, his production didn't see much of a bump.

The former Duke star's averaging 13.6 points, 5.3 rebounds, 1.7 assists, and a steal while shooting 49 percent from the field and 25.5 percent from 3-point territory in the pros.

Parker's confident he'll get better with more experience. In fact, playing at the NBA level has already begun getting easier for him.

"Back then the game was so much more difficult for me because I made it that way," he explained. "I was doing a lot that took a lot of energy out. Right now, by just taking the time to learn the game, it has slowed down so much for me. I think that's going to help me this year."

Milwaukee's training camp is set to begin next Tuesday in Madison, Wis.