Shai Gilgeous-Alexander may be the player who ushers in a new era of Oklahoma City Thunder basketball. Darius Bazley has loads of potential at only 19 years old. Terrance Ferguson took major strides in his sophomore season in Oklahoma City and Hamidou Diallo has a chance to do the same in 2019-20.
But what about Lugentz Dort?
The Arizona State standout went undrafted on June 20 after playing one year for the Sun Devils. He then signed a two-way deal with the Thunder, who were then contenders and have since morphed into rebuilders.
While he may not have the same skill set as Bazley — and clearly not the same build — it’s clear Dort has the potential to contribute on some level due to his high motor, raw athleticism and defensive instincts.
Thunder general manager Sam Presti also likes what he’s seen from Dort as a person. Presti explained further about what he expects from the guard during his press conference on Thursday.
With Dort, again, he’s a player that just has incredible physical gifts and has [the] potential to be a really good defender. But he’s gonna need work and refinement. I think he’s extremely motivated. He’s an extremely high-character person. Very humble. I’m excited to see how he progresses through the season.
