Thunder defensive ace reveals his new offensive edge

Luguentz Dort's unrelenting defensive abilities have been a goldmine for the Oklahoma City Thunder in recent years.

As a former undrafted player, the "Dorture Chamber" wasn't expected to be one of the headlining pieces in helping the franchise recoup its winning culture. Yet, five years since he exited draft night without hearing his name called, the 25-year-old wing has evolved into one of the league's best defensive players.

Despite being one of the few players in the league who can legitimately guard up to four positions, Lu has been routinely underrated by the media, as evidenced by the whopping zero All-Defensive teams the rising Thunder star has been named to.

Understanding his under-the-radar profile and his natural ability to impact the game, Dort aims to take his game up another level in the 2024-25 season. While he will certainly continue to improve on the side of the ball where he thrives the most, he also plans and hopes to reveal himself as a star-quality player on offense.

Why Year 6 is paramount

Nearing the prime of his NBA career now is the time for the defensive ace to expand his game. He showcased a promising offensive upside just last season when he shot a tick below 40% from the 3-point line.

This was especially impressive considering his earlier years in the Association when he shot in the low 30s percentage from outside. Dort made steady progress as a shooter and is pacing to have another elite season from the perimeter.

Absent his rising profile as a marksman, the 25-year-old has plenty of areas where a leap can make a championship-sized difference for the Blue and Orange.

Consistency and "let the game come to me"

During the Thunder's Media Day, the rising star shared his approach to offense entering the 2024 campaign and why he expects to witness a significant improvement.

"The main thing is to be consistent and let the game come to me. … I feel like I have been doing a pretty good job of that this past year, and I just want to keep doing that. First, it comes to trust of my teammates, you know, being able to find me and stuff like that. But at the same time, they need to have the trust in me to be able to take the right shot and make the right decision. That was one of the points that I have been working on the most, and it has been good to me," Lu said.

Dort as a two-way player makes OKC a superteam

The more two-way stars the Thunder have, the better their chances to win multiple championships. Dort is already a productive offensive player. But by incorporating more scoring and getting comfortable in creating his own shot, OKC will add another weapon and another player for defenses to stay aware of.

With the rising status of Chet Holmgren and Jalen Williams, Oklahoma City's offense should see an explosion next season. And as both players reach the height of their games, the Blue and Orange will inevitably boast three sublime shot-creators.

What Lu adds on top of that will be more than just gravy; it can raise the Thunder to be a superteam and bring to Oklahoma City the NBA championship that the city has never had.

Related: Pair of Thunder defensive stars explain what will make OKC’s defense special