Latest news with #Dort
USA Today
24-06-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Here's who reached out to Lu Dort to congratulate him on 2025 NBA championship
Achieving a dream that's been chased for nearly two decades, the Oklahoma City Thunder finally reached immortality with a 2025 NBA championship. After being a historic regular season win machine, their dominance carried over to the playoffs. All 18 NBA players on the Thunder's roster will forever be remembered. From MVP winner Shai Gilgeous-Alexander to two-way rookie Branden Carlson, everybody will have their own holiday in June and July this summer to celebrate the championship. The Thunder's journey to the mountaintop is extra special for Lu Dort. After he went undrafted in 2019, he worked his way from an impressive two-way player to a key starter on a title winner. The 26-year-old is now known across the NBA as one of the best one-on-one stoppers. Each time Dort shoots one of his signature rainbow 3-pointers, the OKC crowd chants his first name in unison. Considering he's one of the longest-tenured players on the roster next to Gilgeous-Alexander, he's seen the Thunder's rise from rebuild to powerhouse firsthand. Before the Thunder kicked off their championship parade, Dort said that several former teammates reached out to him to congratulate him on his success. Chris Paul, Dennis Schroder, Andre Roberson and Nerlens Noel were the most notable names. All four were teammates in the 2019-20 season that saw them be a surprise playoff squad. That shouldn't be a shocker. Even though they haven't been teammates in years, to see Dort go from a G League player to an NBA champion has been one of the Thunder's best developmental success stories in franchise history. He's earned his flowers this season with his first All-Defensive nod after his teammates campaigned for him. Now, Dort is an NBA champion. The Thunder's all-time defense crossed them over the finish line. He was the face of it with awesome perimeter defense and shut down the opposition's best scorer most nights.
Yahoo
24-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
NBA Finals Game 7 is a different beast, but Lu Dort has shined in a Game 7 before
Tears glistened in Lu Dort's eyes while he spoke to the media. Even the stellar ball stopper couldn't prevent some of them from getting past his hardened defense, as they slowly streamed down his baby face. Advertisement The emotions overwhelmed Dort, who'd just scored a career-high 30 points as an undrafted rookie only for OKC to still suffer a Game 7 loss to Houston in the first round of the 2020 NBA playoffs. "It's a blessing just to be here," Dort told reporters with pain-filled pauses. "It didn't end up going our way, but it was big. It was big. It was a helluva season I had, and I'm grateful for that." Dort still remembers the pain of letting that Game 7 slip through his hands. But they've become far more calloused since then, toughened by countless nights of blue-collar contributions to the Thunder's success. Now, nearly five years later, Dort will try to leave his fingerprints on an even bigger Game 7. The biggest one of them all. Advertisement NBA Finals roundtable: How can OKC Thunder win Game 7? What is path for Indiana Pacers? OKC will host Indiana at 7 p.m. Sunday in Game 7 of the NBA Finals. The winning team will secure its first NBA championship in franchise history. "It was good, especially early in my career," Dort said Saturday when asked about his 2020 Game 7 experience. "I didn't know what to expect. I never knew what a Game 7 felt like. Just the nervousness and all of the stuff that you feel before a game like that. "I've felt that before (now). You've just got to approach it like any other game. You go out there and play your best and live with the results." Advertisement Even the Thunder couldn't have predicted the perfect storm that was Dort's Game 7 performance against Houston. After going undrafted in 2019, the Arizona State alum joined OKC on a two-way contract. That was eventually converted to a standard deal after the season was suspended due to COVID-19. Dort cracked the starting lineup with regular-season averages of 6.8 points, 2.3 rebounds and 0.8 assists. They were solid numbers for a sturdy defender with a budding shot. But Dort used the bright lights of the playoffs to blossom. The then-21-year-old guard became the youngest player in NBA history to score at least 30 points in a Game 7. And despite going 7 for 38 from deep (18.4%) throughout the first six games of the series, he went 6 for 12 in that department (50%). Advertisement MUSSATTO: Thunder has won its 'must-win' games. Now comes Game 7, biggest test of all. Thunder guard Luguentz Dort (5) defends Pacers forward Aaron Nesmith (23) during Game 2 of the NBA Finals at Paycom Center on June 8. Oklahoma City won 123-107. Dort's final 3-point attempt, a potential game winner, was blocked by James Harden with about five seconds left in regulation. That sealed Houston's 104-102 victory. Still, there was no denying the obvious. After a lengthy journey from his home country of Canada to college to the G League to the Thunder, Dort had arrived. "It was one of the most impressive things that I've seen out of a player that young," Billy Donovan, OKC's head coach at the time, said after the game. "Here's a guy who was in the G League and never got drafted. ... He really did a lot of good things. It was unfortunate at the end of the game that (his) shot got blocked because he was playing so well." Advertisement Dort also shined on defense in the losing effort. Harden's iconic beard wasn't the only thing attached to his face throughout the game. So was Dort's hand. Despite averaging a league-leading 34.3 points that season, Harden only finished with 17 points. He went 4 for 15 from the field (26.7%) and 1 for 9 from deep (11.1%). CARLSON: Thunder, Pacers have 'a privilege' in basketball's holy grail — NBA Finals Game 7 Oklahoma City guard Luguentz Dort (5) celebrates a 3-pointer in the fourth quarter during game 5 of the NBA Finals between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Indiana Pacers at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, on Monday, June 16, 2025. 'He doesn't care about anything but playing hard,' Harden said of Dort after the game. 'As a young guy coming into this league, that's all you can ask for. ... He has the right mindset of just playing hard and playing balls to the wall, and he don't care what anybody thinks. He's gonna have a great career.' Advertisement Harden was one of the first victims of the "Dorture Chamber," which has since become one of the most feared forms of punishment in the NBA. Dort landed on the All-Defensive first team this season for the first time in his career, and he has lived up to that selection in the Finals. The 6-foot-4 guard has showcased his versatility by helping defend both Tyrese Haliburton and Pascal Siakam. He has even knocked down his shots when needed, going 51.7% from deep on 4.8 attempts per game. Dort will do whatever it takes to win. That'll surely be the case Sunday for the fiery competitor, who's familiar with the burning pain of a Game 7 loss. Advertisement "You know that if you win, you'll be happy for a long time," Dort said of Game 7s. "And if you lose, you'll be mad for a long time. ... We know that we've got to give it our all." Justin Martinez covers sports for The Oklahoman. Have a story idea for Justin? He can be reached at jmartinez@ or on X/Twitter at @JTheSportsDude. Sign up for the Thunder Sports Minute newsletter to access more NBA coverage. Support Justin's work and that of other Oklahoman journalists by purchasing a digital subscription today at More: Why Thunder homecourt advantage vs Pacers may be an understatement in Game 7 of NBA Finals NBA Finals Game 7: Thunder vs. Pacers TIPOFF: 7 p.m. Sunday at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City (ABC) This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: How Lu Dort grew after OKC Thunder's Game 7 loss in 2020 NBA Playoffs
Yahoo
24-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Who is Luguentz Dort? What to know about OKC Thunder star in 2025 NBA Finals vs Pacers
If you buy something through a link in this article, we may earn commission. Pricing and availability are subject to change. Luguentz Dort will be a key factor for the Oklahoma City Thunder in the 2025 NBA Finals against the Indiana Pacers. Among those starting for the Thunder will be Lu Dort. Known for his great defense, the 26-year-old Dort was named to the NBA All-Defensive first team this year. Advertisement Here's a deeper look at Dort. More: Celebrate OKC Thunder's amazing season and run to NBA Finals with our commemorative book More: Mark Daigneault's hometown always believed in Thunder coach, long before NBA Finals run Where did Lu Dort play college basketball? Lu Dort spent one season at Arizona State, averaging 16.1 points per game for the Sun Devils. More: The Jalen Williams Way: How OKC Thunder forward paved a path to stardom, NBA Finals Where was Lu Dort selected in NBA Draft? Dort was not selected in the NBA Draft. He signed with the Thunder as an undrafted free agent in 2019. More: Carlson: How Chet Holmgren rebounded from hip injury to help power Thunder to NBA Finals What is Lu Dort's contract with OKC Thunder? Dort is in Year 3 of a five-year, $82.5-million contract with the Thunder, according to Spotrac. Advertisement More: NBA Finals 2025: From Loud City to Pacers Nation, get to know OKC and Indianapolis Lu Dort's stats for 2024-25 season Games: 71 Points: 10.1 per game Rebounds: 4.1 per game Assists: 1.6 per game Steals: 1.1 per game Blocks: 0.5 per game Field-goal shooting: 43.5% 3-point shooting: 41.2% Free-throw shooting: 71.7% Latest OKC Thunder news in NBA Finals This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Who is Lu Dort? What to know about OKC Thunder star in 2025 NBA Finals
Yahoo
24-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Mussatto: How an NBA title would solidify legacies of OKC Thunder, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
The Thunder is within snatching distance of the Larry O'Brien trophy — a 30-pound chunk of gold and silver that only the greatest teams can clutch. After a momentous Game 5 victory against the Pacers on Monday night in Oklahoma City, the Thunder has two shots at grabbing basketball's ultimate prize. Advertisement The Thunder can clinch the NBA championship in Game 6 Thursday night in Indianapolis. Should the never-die Pacers stave off elimination, the series will come back to Oklahoma City for Game 7 on Sunday. A chance for the Thunder to close things out on its home court. Here's what a championship would mean. More: Why OKC Thunder's supporting cast will do 'whatever it takes to win' in NBA Finals For Sam Presti ... Completion. After trading away Paul George and Russell Westbrook in the summer of 2019, Sam Presti outlined a plan to build 'the next great Thunder team.' It happened sooner than anyone could imagine. 'Oklahoma City expects, and deserves, extraordinary success,' the Thunder GM wrote six summers ago. 'Delivering this is what drives us.' Presti delivered, all right. He constructed two championship-caliber teams a decade apart. Presti, who's been in this job since he was 29, long ago proved his bona fides as a team-building genius. As one of the best, most brilliant sports executives this century. The only line missing from his resume is a championship. Winning one would mean completion. A job well done. Basketball immortality. A month shy of his 27th birthday, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander would become the 15th player to win the MVP award and an NBA title in the same season. Each of the previous 14 made the NBA's 75th anniversary team. We're witnessing one of the best individual campaigns ever — regular season and playoffs combined. With a championship, Gilgeous-Alexander would leapfrog Russell Westbrook as the greatest Thunder ever. There will never be another No. 2 in Thunder history. His jersey will one day hang from the rafters of the Thunder's new arena. Advertisement More: One Shai Gilgeous-Alexander stat that ties Jordan, Kobe and Hakeem in NBA playoff lore For Lu Dort ... Thunder guard Luguentz Dort (5) celebrates beside forward Jalen Williams (8) after making a 3-pointer during Game 1 of the NBA Finals at Paycom Center on June 5. Eternal respect. For the misery he's made Tyrese Haliburton endure. For the timely 3-pointers (did you know Lu Dort is 14 of 24 (58%) from 3 this series?). For the path Dort took to get here. From Montreal to Arizona State. From an undrafted free agent with a shaky jumper to an all-world defender with a knack for splashing timely 3-pointers. SGA and Dort saw the rebuild through from start to finish. Dort will solidify his place on the short list of all-time Thunder players. For Chet Holmgren ... Step 1. After being sidelined with a foot injury for the entirety of his first pro season, and after losing more than half of this season due to a fractured hip, Chet Holmgren, 23, is only scratching the surface of what he could become. His offensive game needs plenty of refinement — his dribble is too loose, his jump shot too flat, his drives too aimless — but the wreckage he's causing on the defensive end has helped shift the series in the Thunder's favor. The fully-formed version of Chet is still years away. How frightening is that? For Jalen Williams ... Different questions being asked of him. No longer will any of us wonder if Jalen Williams has the makings of a true second option on a championship team. Safe to say he's answered that one. J-Dub has played phenomenal two-way basketball, really since Game 7 of the Denver series. He was excellent in the conference finals against Minnesota, and his 40-point Game 5 against Indiana was a prodigious performance. Can he be the second-best player on a title team? He's about to show us. For Mark Daigneault ... An improbable achievement in an inimitable career arc. From a student manager at UConn, to a personal assistant to Billy Donovan at Florida, to a G League coach to an NBA champion head coach. Mark Daigneault will have guided the Thunder from the depths of a rebuild to championship peak. Maybe he's onto something with that whole 'zero and zero' mentality. Advertisement Mussatto: 'Unreal' Thunder fans giving OKC ultimate home-court advantage in NBA Finals Thunder chairman Clay Bennett lifts the Oscar Robertson Trophy beside Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Thunder executive vice president and general manager Sam Presti after Game 5 of the NBA Western Conference Finals between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Minnesota Timberwolves at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Wednesday, May 28, 2025. For Clay Bennett ... A reward for good ownership. Clay Bennett isn't a meddler. He hires smart people, Presti chief among them, to make smart decisions. And then Bennett largely stays out of the way, watching all of the wins from his front row spot on the baseline by the Thunder's bench. Many of Bennett's big-headed colleagues could learn from his hands-off approach. For the rebuilders ... Knowing they had a role in the process. The Darius Bazleys and Theo Maledons played a part in this. Same goes for Isaiah Roby and Vit Krejci. Jeremiah Robinson-Earl and Mike Muscala. Moses Brown and Jaylen Hoard. Gabriel Deck and Georgios Kalaitzakis. Even you, Poku. For Oklahoma City ... International recognition as home to the best basketball team on the planet. A beacon of hope to other small markets. A crowning achievement in the city's brief history. Everlasting civic pride. For the Thunder ... Accomplishment. Winning a championship is so hard. For the rest of the NBA ... Buckle in. This might only be the beginning. Advertisement Joe Mussatto is a sports columnist for The Oklahoman. Have a story idea for Joe? Email him at jmussatto@ . Support Joe's work and that of other Oklahoman journalists by purchasing a digital subscription today at . This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Winning 2025 NBA Finals would solidify legacy for OKC Thunder, SGA
USA Today
23-06-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Lu Dort calls 2025 NBA championship a full circle moment with Thunder
Late in the shot clock, Lu Dort's last-season 3-point heave had everybody's nerves jump up. The Oklahoma City Thunder couldn't muster up any quality offense again. Too many times, a possession ended with a turnover or a self-isolated attempt that seldom went in. But of course, Dort swished in the most unlikely 3-pointer ever. Because duh, that's what he does. The 26-year-old has never lacked confidence in his shot. As the ball rainbowed into the basket, the entire OKC crowd shook the arena's grounds. Dort finished with nine points on 3-of-10 shooting, seven rebounds and three steals. He shot 2-of-9 from 3 and 1-of-2 on free throws. The Thunder celebrated a 103-91 Game 7 win over the Indiana Pacers to clinch their first NBA championship. One of the longest-tenured players on the roster, Dort has seen it all from a rebuild squad to a quick ascension as the team to beat. Going from undrafted to an All-Defensive Team member, Dort has seen his improbable NBA journey prosper in OKC. This was the arc's peak with a championship. He was hot from the outside in the NBA Finals with a 45% clip. Sprinkle in his superb one-on-one defense, and he cemented his spot in OKC lore as a playoff riser. "No, it's crazy. I mean, looking back to my first year, I went undrafted. Six years ago now, June 19 was the draft. That week was probably the worst week of my life. You look now, June 22, 2025, I'm a champion now," Dort said. "It's crazy how you circle back. I had to trust the process. How this organization gave me a great opportunity, I'm grateful and happy to be here."
