Game 1 of the NBA Finals is mere hours away from tipping off, and while OKC Thunder and Indiana Pacers players may obviously be the most jazzed up for their series tip-off, Luguentz Dort's recent message seems to have the Oklahoma City fanbase right there behind them.
In a June 4 piece penned by the beloved veteran in The Players' Tribune, a lot was said about his passion for the franchise.
Through the lows of going unselected on draft night back in 2019 to the highs of earning his first All-Defensive Team honor in 2025, the backing of the Thunder has been there through it all.
It is because of this that he so desperately wants to win this year's championship, for, even though he admits in his piece that there may be more opportunities in the future for this potential dynasty, to him, "It’s real now."
Lu Dort's closing message before NBA Finals will get Thunder fans hyped
"Thunder fans, I know you’ve been through it all. I know you’ve heard all you can hear about how young we are, about how we have so much potential to do great things, about how our window for a title is wide open. And yeah, that might be true for what’s ahead. But for right now? This isn’t about our age, or about our window. This is about the opportunity that’s right in front of us. This is about us being where our feet are — and our feet are right here in OKC, right here with you all, ready to do something special. It’s the FINALS, you know what I mean? There’s no potential about it," Dort wrote.
Needless to say, Thunder fans are absolutely elated with Dort's pre-Finals message, as they flocked to social media to shower the 26-year-old with nothing but love and admiration.
One user on X proudly stated in all caps that the guard's message has him ready to "run through a wall," while another proclaimed that they would "go to war for Lu Dort."
What's most important to understand about the veteran's message is that it's far from arrogant, but rather, full of determination.
Considering the Thunder are viewed as the overwhelming favorites to take home this year's Larry O'Brien Trophy, even boasting a ridiculous -700 odds to do so, one might imagine it could be easy for this team to come into the series radiating with cockiness.
However, since punching their ticket to the championship round, OKC has been nothing but humble.
From coach Mark Daigneault publicly heaping praise on Pacers headman Rick Carlisle to Jalen Williams going as far as to refer to Indiana as the "ultimate test" of their playoff run so far, Oklahoma City has been the epitome of professional leading into Thursday's opener.
Every step of the way, this team has made it harder and harder to root against. Dort's message to the Thunder fanbase simply serves as yet another reminder of just how special this small-market connection is.
Game 1 will be held out at what will presumably be a packed Paycom Center with a scheduled tip-off time being 8:30 pm (ET).