As an undrafted rookie working with first-year assistant coach David Akinyooye, Oklahoma City Thunder veteran guard Lu Dort says it was a pairing that led to Dort becoming an All-Defensive First Team guard in the NBA. Some believe that Dort was snubbed for Defensive Player of the Year and that earning All-Defensive First Team was long overdue. Either way, Lu’s emerged from a two-way guard to the face of the NBA’s most-stifling defense in 2024-25.
He’s come a long way since 2019. Ahead of Game 3 against the Indiana Pacers, Dort gave credit to Akinyooye for changing his defensive mindset, which he says is the primary reason he managed to carve out a promising NBA career with the Thunder when asked how he was able to lock in on that end of the floor.
“The coaching staff, honestly,” Dort replied. “I’ve been working with our assistant coach David Akinyooye. He’s been really good on the details and some of the stuff I had to look for. Then, after that, it’s experience watching film, seeing some other guys do it, at the same time, and all that. Just helped me become the defender I am today.”
Seeing the game through a new lens, Dort, the defensive end of the floor, was where he wanted to make his presence felt most.
“My rookie year I felt like the way that I was playing defense was going to be my way to being on the court,” Dort said. “Having to showcase my game, I started as a two-way player. Then, I felt like that was my way in. Since that, I feel like it’s become my identity, and then, I was like, I’m not going away from that.”
He also added a three-point shot, as Dort connected on a career-best 41.2% of his threes throughout the regular season. Dort drained five threes en route to 17 points in his NBA Finals debut against the Pacers.
Lu Dort gets Thunder’s ‘head of the snake’ take from Alex Caruso
From one veteran Thunder All-Defensive guard to another, Alex Caruso considers Dort the team’s defensive anchor
“Our defense is at an all-time statistical rate of the best defense. Even outside of the stats, if you watch the games, we have an incredible amount of skill on the court, and he’s the head of the snake on that end of the floor,” Caruso said. “It’s not a coincidence everyone’s best player is under their average shooting pooly when they play us.”
Dort will look to limit Tyrese Haliburton and the Pacers in Game 3 of the NBA Finals on Wednesday.
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