Why Lu Dort is the ‘Heartbeat’ of OKC Thunder

Oklahoma City’s roster is infused with talent from top to bottom — but many teams in the NBA have an excess of talent. What makes this team so special is the mindset across the board, and the buy in from each guy on the court. It’s what led the Thunder to its first franchise championship.

The mindset and mentality didn’t just kick in a season ago, though. It’s something that the organization has been cultivating for many years, dating back to the seasons defined by losses and the lottery. Even when Oklahoma City was losing, they were still a tough out when fully healthy. And the reason for that? Players like Lu Dort who never let the intensity slip on the court. He laid the foundation and groundwork for what the Thunder have turned into.

During Sam Presti’s preseason press conference on Thursday morning, Oklahoma City’s general manager highlighted Dort’s impact over the years, and how he has had a big hand in the Thunder’s rise to the top.

“When we were getting our teeth kicked in and losing a lot of those games for those two seasons, Lu was making what we were calling catalyst plays,” Presti said. “Like we might be down by 15 points in the second half, and we'd be outmatched at times, just purely based on the age of the team and where we were, but he'd be diving on the floor, harassing somebody up the court.

“We talked about whenever it is, and we had no idea when, but eventually we were going to be able to win some games, it was going to be that kind of approach that sustained us or got us to the point where we could be a respectable team and ultimately a competitive team.”

Dort was one of the Thunder’s biggest competitors night in and night out during the seasons where Oklahoma City wasn’t even scratching the postseason. His demeanor on the court never changed, though.

“That, to me, is what stands out about Lu is the things we've seen from him in the biggest stages, he was doing those things when there wasn't a ton of incentive to do it,” Presti said. “And that's to me why he's a huge component to the heartbeat of the team.”

He played heavy minutes when the Thunder made the postseason during the bubble and his defense was on full display. He was still being left wide open from long range, though.

The rebuilding years gave Dort a perfect chance to workshop his offensive game — and that’s exactly what he did. Although, there were stages to the progression.

Dort was shooting at a high volume when there wasn’t much else on the roster. He was figuring out what he was good at and understanding his limitations.

During the 2021-22 campaign, when Oklahoma City wasn’t relevant on a national level, Dort averaged a career-high 17.2 points per game in 51 appearances. He took 14.2 shots per night, though, and shot 40.4% from the floor and 33.2% from 3-point range. He was consistent in his demeanor, setting the tone for the Thunder on the floor, but he understood that wasn’t exactly sustainable.

From there, he completely transformed his game and his role. He committed to efficiency and realized he needed to be an elite outside shooter. His improvements were noticeable, and his defense never fell off. Now, Dort is an All-Defensive Team member and a 40% 3-point shooter, someone every contender wish they had.

“I have a huge respect for the fact that in order for us to become an elite team, I talked about this in the open as well, you have to create space for others,” Presti said. “and I think Lu's willingness to pull back in certain areas has made him more efficient and has allowed the team to be more potent.

“That takes such humility, and you also have to be a colossal competitor to do that. I'm really proud of him because he's shown so much growth as a player, but he has understood and he's placed the winning first.”