Only 5 days remain until the Thunder face off against the Jazz for their first official game in the bubble. With two scrimmages completed at this point, it’s starting to feel real. Thunder basketball is back!
Let’s take a look at Luguentz Dort who wears #5 for OKC. He came out of high school as one of the top recruits in Canada. He decided to play his one and only season of college basketball at Arizona State.
After leading the Sun Devils to the NCAA tournament, Dort decided to enter the 2019 NBA Draft. However, he was not selected by any franchise. Instead, he signed a two-way contract with the OKC Thunder as an undrafted free agent.
Sam Presti must have had an eye on this kid, as the signing proved to be one of the Thunder’s better moves in recent times. After seeing Dort play in his first season, it’s a wonder how the young shooting guard was not drafted.
Dort has played in 29 games this season, and started in 21 of them. He has had a some monster games, like his career high 23 points against the Kings. He also shot 6-6 from the field for 15 points against the Spurs back in February.
Perhaps the most exciting aspect of his game is his defensive abilities. He has an excellent knowledge of defending and an ability to slow the game down for someone as young as he is. It seems as if the Thunder finally has a solid defender who can also produce on the offensive side of the court as well.
Dort played so well in his first season with OKC that the franchise signed him to a 4 year deal worth $5.4 million. Considering his potential, this seems like a steal for the Thunder. The deal also comes as a sigh of relief for Thunder fans. Dort became a fan favorite this season, and just about everyone is excited to have him around for at least four more years.
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