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Lu Dort Day in OKC: A High-Level Glimpse at the Defensive Stalwart's Career
Lu Dort reportedly agreed to a five-year, $87.5 million contract to stay with the Thunder. cover small -- crop as needed SARAH PHIPPS/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK

Lu Dort has been with the Thunder long enough to see himself go from beloved to villain, and back to beloved in Oklahoma City. Well, not quite a villain, but his three-point hills and valleys could have put some Thunder fans in high distress a few years back.

Jokes aside, Dort has been integral in the three eras of the Thunder he has lived in. From a sophomore Shai Gilgeous-Alexander paired with Chris Paul and Steven Adams—a playoff team—in 2019-20, followed by the short-lived rebuilding phase from the next season until 2022-23, and now NBA champions in 2025, Dort has seen many phases of Thunder basketball.

In percentages, he and Gilgeous-Alexander have been in Oklahoma City for over 35% of the organization's history since 2008. That's a lot, and it couldn't have been sweeter for the pair to come together for a title-winning season in 2024-25—and as a result, we live to tell the tale of Lu Dort day in Oklahoma City.

OKC Mayor David Holt gave each Thunder player an honorary day at the championship parade following its NBA Finals win. Not many are as impactful as Dort day.

From an undrafted rookie carving out space in the league to now being a First Team All-NBA defender, Dort has cemented himself as a Thunder legend and continues to build on his career as one of the best defenders in the league at 26 years old. His performances were vital across the team's postseason run, and that defensive grit has been valuable for Oklahoma City since the day he stepped on the floor in Thunder blue.

Looking at his numbers since his rookie season, a dip in scoring from 2021-22 has signaled a significant uptick in efficiency as a 41% shooter from beyond the arc, something an early Dort had issues with—shooting the trey ball at 29% and 34% his first two years in the league. That second number isn't all bad, but the inconsistency that came with it watered it down.

Some might still say Dort's inconsistency isn't ideal, especially on the road in the postseason, but the numbers don't lie. A 41% 3-point shooter on nearly six attempts per game is massive.

Outside of that, his averages haven't shifted that much. It's primarily been his maturation that has seen his performance progress significantly. And in terms of earning his first All-NBA honors this past season, that's due to the broader NBA audience finally getting its grasp on the magnitude of Dort's presence on the defensive end.

The NBA world has finally seen what Dort has brought to Oklahoma City all these years—and it'll continue to see what he can bring next season.


This article first appeared on Oklahoma City Thunder on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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