Inside The Thunder

Lu Dort Looking to be OKC's Most Improved Player This Season

While Lu Dort is clearly the most improved player on this Thunder squad, he might even deserve more attention as one of the most improved players in the NBA.

Ross Lovelace

Through the first few months of the NBA season, the Thunder sit at last place in the Western Conference and have the third best lottery odds in the draft.

This year has been different for Oklahoma City, though, as it hasn’t been all bad. This team has been competitive most games, and extremely fun to watch. There has been improvement across the board in multiple areas. Improvement in style of basketball, the way this team plays hard and plays together, and individuals taking the next step in their game.

One of the most impressive individual jumps has been the evolution of Lu Dort’s offensive game.

When Dort came into the league as an undrafted free-agent, he burst onto the scene as a hounding on-ball defender. His hustle, energy and defensive prowess made him an instant fan favorite. During his rookie season, playing next to Chris Paul, he worked his way into the starting lineup. By the end of the season, he found himself guarding the other team’s best perimeter player on a nightly basis.

The Arizona State product displayed his potential as a premier perimeter defender in today’s NBA, but the offense was lacking. As a rookie, Dort averaged 6.8 points per game while shooting just 39.4% from the field, including 29.7% from 3-point range.

Last season, when the Thunder gutted its playoff roster, Dort was given more opportunities to showcase his offensive ability. While his percentages didn’t jump off the charts, there was noticeable improvement in his game. He made a huge jump, more than doubling his points per game, as he finished last season scoring 14 points per night. While his overall shooting percentage didn’t increase, Dort improved his 3-point percentage to 34.3%. The craziest stat you’ll find, is that he now holds the second longest streak in the NBA for most consecutive games with a made 3-pointer. Behind Stephen Curry.

This season, the third-year guard has made the NBA world question his true potential. While people viewed him as a potential elite defender, nobody predicted his offensive game taking off quite like this. Analysts and fans put a cap on Dort’s ceiling, and he’s showing just how much more he actually brings to the table.

Dort has been a key piece in the Thunder’s offense this season, as he’s averaging 17 points per game through 25 games.

He has upped his shooting percentage to 42.3% and is still shooting 33.2% from 3-point range while taking 7.5 3-pointers a night. While his percentage isn't a finished product, the degree of difficulty on Dort's long-range shots have improved greatly. On catch-and-shoot threes, Dort is shooting 43.5%. He has displayed his ability to bully smaller guards and get to the rim, showcasing his strong crossover and moves to get to the rim. He has also added different forms of shot-creation to his evolving game, including step-back threes. 

One of the more impressive additions to Dort’s arsenal this season has been how comfortable he looks taking shots off the dribble. Dort has shown his ability to pull-up on so many different occasions, from mid-range and from deep, causing defenders to have to respect that part of his game.

We’ve also seen spurts of athleticism that were surprising from Dort. He has continued to make highlight plays and even has a few poster dunks.

So far this season, Dort already has nine games of 20+ points, including a 34 point performance against the Houston Rockets.

Lu Dort is not only the most improved player on the Thunder, but he deserves attention nationally for being one of the most improved players in the NBA. It’s clear that Dort’s ceiling was misjudged, and the sky is the limit for him as a player. While he will always be one of the best perimeter defenders in the NBA, if his offensive game continues to progress at this rate, Dort could be a star in this league.

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Ross Lovelace
ROSS LOVELACE

Ross is a 2023 Oklahoma University graduate who has formerly written for the OU Daily and Prep Hoops. He now works for the New Orleans Super Bowl Host Committee and covers OU sports for AllSooners.com. He has been covering the Thunder since the 2019-20 season.

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