Does Lu Dort Have Another Leap in Store?

After going undrafted in the 2019 NBA Draft out of Arizona State University, nothing has come easy for Thunder guard Luguentz Dort.

Projected as an early-to-mid second-round pick in most mock drafts, Dort fell through the cracks and was a free agent after the draft's close. The Thunder and General Manager Sam Presti quickly scooped him up on a Two-Way Contract.

After making a name for himself with the OKC Blue, averaging 19.5 points per game, Dort quickly earned minutes in the Thunder rotation. After showcasing his talents on the defensive end on the competitive 2019-20 Thunder, he became a starter and has not been removed from the lineup since.

Dort has improved key aspects of his game every season of his career, most notably his three-point shooting. He went from shooting 29.7% from deep as a rookie to shooting above 39% for two straight seasons.

He has improved his quick decision-making, which has lowered turnovers and improved shooting percentages. He has also found a way to improve on the defensive side of the ball as well, with his most recent improvement being defensive playmaking and off-ball coverage, allowing him to make his first All-Defensive team this season.

Hard work has gotten Dort to the spot he is at now; it got him to the NBA, it got him minutes, it earned him an NBA Championship. His hard-edge mentality is what has given him respect among his peers on the defensive side.

Presti saw the potential in Dort, and he accepted the plan.

"This isn't the end of your story," Presti told Dort when they first met, "It's the beginning."

Now, at 26, Dort is an elite role player who started on a championship-winning team. After improving linearly throughout his first six seasons in the Association, he is bound to have another leap in store for 2025-26.

The biggest weakness in Dort's game throughout his career has been his finishing at the rim. He is a career 57.3% on shots 0-3 feet from the basket. He shot 58.9% from that range last season, the 15th worst mark in the NBA.

If Dort improves at the rim this season, it just adds another dimension to his game and makes the Thunder even more challenging to scheme against.

Despite seeming like a challenging task, Dort's career exemplifies linear growth, showing that further improvement is possible.

The seventh-year guard out of ASU is poised to add another improvement to his repertoire.