TEMPE 鈥� Although some of the NBA鈥檚 best have played for the Oklahoma City Thunder, from Kevin Durant to James Harden to Russell Westbrook, a league title has eluded the franchise. Thunder fans hope this season will be different, and a former Arizona State standout could play a role in making that happen.
The Thunder, who take on Indiana in Game 2 of the NBA Finals Sunday, lost to the Pacers in the series opener on a last-second Tyrese Haliburton 21-footer, overshadowing a strong effort by Lu Dort, who had 15 points 鈥� all from 3-point range 鈥� along with four rebounds, four steals and two blocks.
He made NBA Finals history, joining Kawhi Leonard as the only player to record four or more steals and make five or more 3-points in a finals game.
鈥淎ny time I can sneak one in there, a steal or block, I鈥檒l go,鈥� Dort told reporters after the game. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 just how I play. Whenever I get to do a play like that for my teammates, I鈥檒l do it.鈥�
More than anything, Dort is known as one of the best defenders in the NBA, a skill so refined it warranted its own nickname: the Dorture Chamber.
He found success without taking the typical route of an NBA player.
Coming out of high school 鈥� he played in Canada, where he grew up, and Florida 鈥� he was a five-star recruit, bit it was his attitude that set him apart, ASU coach Bobby Hurley said.
鈥淗e was not the type of kid that wanted anything handed to him,鈥� Hurley said. 鈥淗e wanted to earn it.鈥�
Hurley reflected on a time where he benched Dort due to his performance in a previous game. Coming into that next game, Dort didn鈥檛 act entitled or have a attitude. He performed well off the bench, and that type of mindset would continue to serve him well down the road.
In his single season at ASU, Dort was named Pac-12 Freshman of the Year and made the Pac-12 All-Defensive team. Going into the NBA Draft, many analysts projected to go anywhere from the end of the first round to the early part of the second round.
Instead, he went undrafted, watching name after name called. It was a difficult experience.
鈥淎t the draft, whenever they think somebody鈥檚 going to get called, they bring the cameras in front of them just to see the reactions,鈥� Dort told Sports Ilustrated. 鈥淪o the cameras came to me at least 10 times.鈥�
Later that night, the Thunder signed him, and ever since the end of his rookie year, his career is on an upward trajectory.
鈥淗e鈥檚 a pro鈥檚 pro, he鈥檚 a great team player, and a great high-character guy,鈥� said Jeff Ayres (formerly Pendergraph), a standout ASU player who won a championship with the San Antonio Spurs in 2014. 鈥淗e didn鈥檛 come in and bring an ego, and when he got to the Thunder, he humbled himself and bought into the program.鈥�
Even though Dort鈥檚 impact is felt mostly on defense, his offense has come a long way. For the first four years of his career, his defensive impact felt negated because of his shooting struggles.
He shot under 35% from 3-point range all four years, but for the last two seasons, he has shot around 40% from 3. This is significant, because approximately half of his career shot attempts are 3-pointers. As long as Dort continues to be a threat on offense, his value will keep rising.
And he would love to add 鈥淣BA title鈥� to his accomplishments.