OKC Thunder: 3 takeaways from 120-106 loss to the Clippers
By Ryan Lewis
OKC Thunder takeaway 2: Dort’s stock is rising
Dort erupted onto the scene during the 2019-20 playoffs in The Bubble. While it wasn’t his first time to step onto the court as a member of the OKC Thunder, it was then that NBA fans began to really take notice.
There might not be another player on the OKC Thunder roster who draws the kind of attention Dort has since the season began last month.
When the rebuild was finally put into action, there was excitement surrounding the team that hadn’t existed since the team relocated from Seattle to OKC in 2008. While Thunder fans are forever faithful, the rebuild meant a fresh start. New talent and new opportunities for that talent to take OKC to new heights.
Front and center has been Gilgeous-Alexander, but other players share the spotlight, as well, and one such player is Dort.
Dort has elevated his game in just a few short months. While we were treated to bursts of what could be during The Bubble, few people could have expected the birth of OKC’s next star.
Dort has been impressive since the season began. He’s one of the league’s hottest 3-point shooters, knocking down 43.6 percent of his shots from deep. He’s averaging 13.8 points per game, and he’s doing it while remaining a defensive pest.
Dort moves like a player with a much smaller frame, weaving through traffic and tossing up athletic layups, and he does it with a high success rate, making 56.3 percent of his shots within five feet.
He’s one of the Thunder’s most impactful players on both sides of the ball and he’s just 21 years old. With time and experience, any weakness in Dort’s game will fade and he just might end up becoming one of the best players to ever wear a Thunder jersey.