The Thunder are apparently among the teams that have shown interest in Arizona State freshman Luguentz Dort.
College basketball reporter Adam Zagoria tweeted on Monday night that the Thunder, Pacers and the Pelicans are among the teams that have reached out to the high school and AAU coaches for Dort.
The former four-star guard from the Athlete Institute Basketball Academy in Toronto, Canada, is averaging 23 points, 7.8 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 2.2 steals in five games this season for the Sun Devils.
Dort was named the Pac-12 Player of the Week after his MVP performance at the MGM Resorts Main Event in Las Vegas where he averaged 25 points and eight rebounds in two games.
The 6-foot-4, 215-pound guard has been compared to Marcus Smart for his physical tools and ability to attack defenses downhill and finish through contact.
He has had lapses on the defensive side of the ball and will need to improve as a 3-point shooter, but he is currently projected to be taken at No. 19 in the latest ESPN Mock Draft.
The Thunder currently have their 2019 first-round pick after not having a first-round pick in June’s draft. As it stands now, the Thunder are projected to select 25th but that is subject to change based on the final standings.
It is possible, though, that Dort’s draft stock will continue to rise with his improved play so he could be off of the board by the time the Thunder are on the clock.
While he may not be available, teams in the NBA begin doing their homework on potential prospects throughout the season even if they are obtainable or not.
The Thunder could very well just be doing homework on the potential first-rounder by reaching out to his former coaches but he appears to be a potential target for Sam Presti & Co.
Dort is the nation’s third-leading rookie scorer this season.
