Luguentz Dort broke out as an under-the-radar freshman from Canada and had a hot start to the season to put him on the NBA radar. For the season, he averaged 16 PPG, 4.3 RPG, 2.3 APG, 1.5 SPG, and 2.9 TOPG on shooting splits of 40/31/70. Here is his full scouting report:
Name: Luguentz Dort
Height/Weight: 6’4/ 222
Wingspan/ standing reach: 6’8 1⁄2 / 8’3 ½
Hand size: 9
Position: Wing
College/ country: Arizona State
Tools: Slashing, frame
Pros:
- NBA strength and frame
- Great at getting to the basket and changing direction
- Good cutter
- Versatile defender
Cons:
- Jump shot mechanics need tweaking- too much arc
- Bad finisher at the rim
- Poor decision making, particularly attacking the basket
- Not much of a playmaker
Overall: Luguentz Dort is an intriguing prospect with an NBA ready body that lives near the basket offensively. Dort was one of the best players in the country at getting to the rim due to his excellent size and athleticism. However, Dort needs to improve his finishing ability at the rim. His 51.5% field percentage at the rim compares to some of the low-end numbers of point guards. While this is a fixable issue, another area that is worrisome regarding his slashing ability is that he sometimes gets tunnel vision attacking the basket, and overall isn’t a great playmaker. This reduces his ability to drive & kick, and as a poor finisher at the rim paired with jump shot questions, his offense still has a long way to go. Defensively, he can be an impact player right away due to his versatility and size. Dort was one of the strongest players at his position in the NBA Draft Combine in May, which can help him defensively.
NBA Comparison: Rawle Alkins
Projected draft range: 33-undrafted
Fit with Mavs:
Dort fits with the Mavs due to positional need, upside, and ability to be a two-way slasher. If the Mavs make the decision to move on from Dorian Finney-Smith, the Mavs should take a look at Dort as a potential replacement. While there are concerns regarding his jump shot translating, if the Mavericks can tweak his mechanics, they can gain a rotational player, which is a win for a second round pick. Furthermore, he is a great cutter, which fits in with the Mavericks’ flow offense. The one area beyond his jump shot that may limit him is his overall feel for the game. The habits that can be rooted to his questionable feel for the game include: passing tendencies, decision making, and shot selection. If the Mavs can fix even just one of those areas, primarily decision making, they can find themselves a quality rotation player. Dort’s fit with Dallas lies in his controversial understanding of the game.
