Lu Dort Retaining and Building Off Impact from a Year Ago

The Thunder's sixth-year man Lu Dort turned a corner in his career a year ago efficiency and play style wise, and he's bringing that into the 2024-25 campaign.

Nov 20, 2024; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Portland Trail Blazers guard Scoot Henderson (00) drives down the court against Oklahoma City Thunder guard Luguentz Dort (5) during the first quarter at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images / Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images

A season ago, Lu Dort turned a corner in his offensive efficiency and overall confidence on the floor.

It was noticeable, and the stat sheet reflected that. Following years of shooting and offensive inconsistency as a then-fifth-year player, Dort's 2023-24 season saw him make a 5% or better improvement on both his percentages from the field and from 3-point range. He held the same role as he always did, though his decision making as a shooter showed heightened confidence and helped the Thunder offense flow much smoother.

Dort's ability to slow down the game made his shooting much more seamless, and even though he dropped in points per game and logged nearly the same amount of minutes as the year prior, the difference in efficiency and decreased shot frequency made all the difference.

Now, Dort heads into year six, continuing to build off those numbers in 16 games---currently averaging a better 11.2 points on 42.4% from the field and 40.2% from three, his concentration as an efficient 3-point and overall shooter is steady showing. And when added onto his overall ability as a defender---all along the perimeter, the point of attack, on-ball---his versatility allows him to open up other facets of his game on both ends.

He's also built upon his steal numbers, going from 0.9 to 1.2 so far this season, increasing Oklahoma City's forced turnover rate as one of the best defenses in the nation when Chet Holmgren is present and healthy.

It was difficult to think Dort's newfound consistency and impact offensively could've been built on even more in this season when looking at some of his performances a few years ago, but he's turned a corner and is sustaining it for the foreseeable future.

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