Lu Dort | Exit Interview
Category
🥇
SportsTranscript
00:00 >> Lou, you were part of that group during the end of the season,
00:03 cheering on your teammates, just even though you couldn't play.
00:07 What does that say about just kind of the chemistry and
00:10 connectedness of this group that you guys built this season?
00:13 >> It says a lot, it's just the bond that we have.
00:15 I feel like we're always cheering for each other.
00:18 I feel like just the fact that we have so many guys out,
00:20 the only thing we could really do is be loud on the bench.
00:23 And I felt like it really helped the team.
00:25 >> And then obviously you're a big part of the defensive effort of this team this
00:29 season, you guys were top ten defense and you guys are at full tilt.
00:31 Just as a group, what did you think of the way that you guys were kind of able to
00:35 tap into that sort of identity on that end this year?
00:38 >> One of the main thing we set up at the end of the year was to compete at
00:43 the highest level every night.
00:45 And I felt like that was the standard we had for the whole year.
00:48 And we kept it just by doing that.
00:51 I feel like I'm a little proud of myself just to lead by example.
00:56 But at the same time, I feel like the whole team really was digging into that and
01:00 it was really ready to just compete and play hard every night.
01:03 >> How far are you from being able to do that?
01:08 >> It's healing, it's getting better.
01:10 I'm still on top of my rehab.
01:13 I still got a couple more, about two, three months,
01:18 just to be back at 100%.
01:22 But I can start doing a little bit of shooting and stuff like that.
01:24 I'm really taking my time with that, just wanna be ready for next season.
01:29 >> I'm sorry, how did the injury happen?
01:32 >> I felt like it's something that I had over time.
01:34 It just kept hitting what happened.
01:38 So I felt like it's been there for a little bit.
01:41 Just this year, I banged it a little bit and we discovered that it was a torn
01:45 labrum.
01:46 So just talking to the staff and everybody, I felt like it was better for
01:50 me to do the surgery now and just to be healthy and
01:53 get ready for just do my rehab during the offseason and be ready for next season.
01:56 >> So did you know earlier in the year that surgery might be an option or
02:01 might be necessary at some point?
02:02 >> No, I mean, I didn't know coming into the season.
02:05 So I had it, but I just really didn't feel it.
02:10 And I thought it was just a shoulder pain.
02:12 I didn't think it was that serious.
02:13 But when we discovered it, I felt like it was the best thing to cover now.
02:17 >> With being an elite defender, you obviously can kind of see things play out
02:22 and you can notice small changes in other players.
02:26 With Basley progression this season from the beginning to the end,
02:29 what have you seen from him on the defensive end that's just really improved?
02:33 >> I'm gonna say first toughness.
02:34 I feel like Bas is capable of guarding a lot of position.
02:39 And I feel like he did a good job at that this year.
02:42 Just the fact that he can move so well with his height and
02:46 just the fact that he's tough as a player and
02:49 just pushing him to help him a little bit on that.
02:52 Just from knowing some players' tendency, I felt like he did a great job with that
02:55 this year.
02:56 >> And then I remember when you came back from the past offseason,
03:00 you were saying that you were working on your footwork,
03:03 trying to make sure that you could be a little bit quicker on the defensive end.
03:07 What do you see yourself working on specifically this summer going into
03:10 the offseason?
03:12 >> I really wanna say the same stuff.
03:13 I don't feel like there's any more I can really do it and
03:17 just being quick on my feet and stay in front of and you're putting on guard.
03:22 So I feel like really you're just on the same stuff.
03:24 I feel like really just it's perfection when I'm doing well already and
03:29 it's gonna be good for me.
03:31 >> Because you guys are under the salary floor,
03:34 you're gonna get some sort of bonus at the end of the season.
03:37 Like, is that something I asked you about it too.
03:41 Is that something you guys talked about together you're sort of looking forward
03:45 to toward the end of the year?
03:47 >> I mean, we didn't really talk about it.
03:50 I mean, we did talk about it a little bit, but
03:52 it's just great that the organization is doing that for us.
03:55 We lay a lot on the floor and we work hard all year and I feel like it's some,
04:01 we got to thank the organization just to doing that for us, all the players.
04:03 >> You talked about the team's decision to compete all year and
04:11 the positivity that we saw and I think we heard even as you guys have talked.
04:17 Do you think that's where it came from or I mean,
04:19 cuz there were nights that were tough, I'm sure.
04:22 How did you keep that positivity, keep that attitude?
04:26 >> We just did the environment we have in our locker room and here in this building.
04:31 I just feel like we really positive and we know what we give off and
04:36 we know what we're building.
04:36 And I feel like even though we had some tough nights,
04:39 at the end of the day, we just we still had our goal and we just kept that standard.
04:43 Even though sometimes it was going our way, it wasn't,
04:45 we just kept it to our mind, just kept positive mind.
04:50 >> I asked Mark about Shay as a leader, one of the things he mentioned was,
04:54 Shay's positivity.
04:55 Maybe that's who Shay is just inherently, I don't know.
05:00 But how did that attitude that he brought,
05:02 how did that translate over the rest of you guys?
05:05 >> Yeah, that's really Shay as a person.
05:08 He don't really share being mad or disappointed.
05:12 Even though we had a bad loss or whatever, he's still always positive and
05:16 bring the teams up.
05:17 So I feel like that's one of the things that he's really good at, and
05:20 he's gonna keep doing that for us.
05:22 Man, I feel like just the environment really in the locker room really helps us
05:26 a little.
05:27 >> You're eligible for an extension this offseason,
05:29 just how are you feeling about your contract situation?
05:31 >> I mean, I'm gonna let my agent handle that and my people.
05:37 And I'm really just really a lot of focus on the development of this team and
05:42 organization.
05:43 I feel like we have higher standards and
05:47 I feel like it's something that we're gonna keep in our mind off season.
05:50 But I'm gonna let my agent handle that.
05:55 >> You obviously have nothing to compare it to, but three years in,
06:00 how beneficial has it been playing for a franchise as stable as a bunch?
06:05 >> It's been great.
06:06 It's been great.
06:06 I mean, I feel like I just learned so much just for
06:09 my first year being here with all the older guys.
06:13 And I kind of see the foundation how it was to be in the playoff team.
06:18 And I felt like it's something that I kept with me during this past two years
06:22 that we're trying to build.
06:23 And I felt like it's something that me, Shay, and Baze was on that team.
06:28 And it's stuff that we can just tell all the guys and
06:32 show at the same time that that's what it takes to get where we wanna be.
06:36 >> How far away do you think you guys are from being back to that point,
06:41 at your work two years ago?
06:42 >> I feel like, I mean, if we keep building up like the way we do,
06:46 I feel like next year we're gonna be in a way better position.
06:49 And then I feel like it's just experience.
06:51 I feel like every player is gonna get older and
06:53 is gonna be able to bring more to the team.
06:57 And I feel like a lot of games we played this year came down to the wire.
07:00 We had a lot of comebacks and I felt like it was just did the way that we didn't
07:04 really end the game well, I feel like that's just experience.
07:06 I feel we definitely gonna get better at that.
07:08 >> So if you and Kendrick should express that you think things will be different
07:12 competitively next year, it's like the play in tournament goal for you guys or
07:16 do you have a specific win goal?
07:19 Or what is that?
07:20 >> Definitely, I mean, it's definitely make it to the playoff.
07:23 That's gotta be the goal and then we'll go from there.
07:26 I feel like we would be a team that's gonna shock a lot of people.
07:30 And just the way that we compete and play hard and
07:32 then we'll go from there, but the goal is definitely a playoff.
07:35 >> When the draft gets closer, do you start looking a little bit at names,
07:40 bios, videos of guys that could become teammates?
07:43 You guys have got so many draft picks stocked up in the past few years.
07:46 Do you look at that stuff?
07:48 >> I mean, I kind of look a little bit.
07:49 I mean, I just like watching basketball.
07:51 So I watched a couple college games and
07:53 then there's some names that popped out and then I heard about.
07:56 But I'm really just leaving this to the organization.
07:59 I trust them with whatever they're doing.
08:01 And then I feel like we've been doing a great job.
08:04 So I feel like it's more great stuff coming up.
08:07 >> You guys have lost a lot in the last two years.
08:10 You won a bunch, you're looking here, you played in game seven, scored 30 points.
08:15 How do you deal with the frustration of going through this rebuild personally?
08:18 How do you just sort of handle it?
08:21 >> Definitely staying positive.
08:22 I felt like everything happens for a reason.
08:26 I felt like that put myself at a better position,
08:30 just to be able to showcase what I could do more on the court.
08:34 So I'm really staying positive and I trust what we're doing right now and
08:38 how good we're gonna be.
08:40 So yeah, definitely staying positive.
08:42 >> For a guy like you who began his career with the blue and
08:45 obviously had a great path to where you are now.
08:48 How fun was it for you this season seeing the amount of guys who had opportunities
08:52 to be on an NBA floor who spent time with the blue this season?
08:55 >> I mean, it was fun.
08:57 Sometimes guys go into Jiu Jitsu and they think it's over and
09:02 it's tough to go back to the NBA.
09:05 But just the fact that some guys see, it started with Deontay Byron at first when
09:09 I was there and me and then Aaron Wiggins did it and
09:13 a couple guys did it just coming back and forth.
09:15 I feel like they stay positive and they believe that they have a plan for
09:21 them and going to the Jiu Jitsu is gonna help them just improving as a player and
09:25 then coming back with us and just play better.
09:29 >> She said that you can guard everyone in the league except him.
09:32 So I think it's only fair to ask you, do you think you can guard Shay?
09:35 >> 100%.
09:36 [LAUGH] Yeah, Shay is a tough one on one player, but I got a couple,
09:41 there's a lot of time I got Shay, and I'm gonna let him know.
09:46 Cuz that's how we play, that's how we compete.
09:48 But every time we're on the court, we're just trying to get each other better.
09:52 >> Talks about how much the organization communicates with you guys about what
09:57 the plan is.
09:59 Part of that plan is that Stoke Brest has acquired a historic number of draft picks,
10:03 which means that there will be more players coming in this summer.
10:08 And the next is that more exciting or does that put pressure on those that are here?
10:13 I don't know what your mindset is on that.
10:17 >> I mean, it's gotta be exciting just to see some new young guys coming
10:22 into this league and just to help us win.
10:25 So I feel like I don't really see it as pressure.
10:31 I feel like everybody gotta earn what they want and I feel like everybody will do so.
10:38 So I feel like it's good to know just to see young guys coming in.
10:41 >> What are your thoughts on playing with Josh this year?
10:44 Have you ever played with a guy like him before?
10:47 >> No, it was great.
10:48 I mean, Josh is way ahead of his age, just the way he plays and
10:54 the way he moved the ball and the way he rebounds.
10:56 I felt like me as a slasher and as a guy that really runs the floor,
11:00 it was great for me just for him to always find me and
11:04 making a good race for the team.
11:05 And I felt like Josh is just gonna get better.
11:08 He's really young.
11:10 And then I feel like the more experience he's gonna have in this league,
11:12 he's gonna be a really great player.
11:14 >> You're known as a defensive player, however, you scored 17 points per game.
11:19 You led the team in scoring several nights this season.
11:22 What do you think you have to do for
11:25 people to notice that you're more than just a defensive player?
11:29 >> Just stay consistent.
11:31 I feel like I kinda shown that I can do it.
11:35 Just I just gotta stay consistent and keep showing it.
11:38 I feel like I'm a really great defender, but
11:40 at the same time I can bring a lot to the team.
11:43 So I felt really just stay consistent and keep showing it.
11:47 >> You told us about sort of the different things you did to train last offseason.
11:53 This offseason I know some of it's gonna be with rehab, but
11:56 are you still hoping to get in some of the variety?
11:58 You've got a longer offseason maybe.
12:00 >> Yeah. >> How's that gonna impact your plan?
12:05 >> I mean, I'll still do everything.
12:08 Everything I can do it just stay in shape and conditioning and I'll just do it.
12:12 I feel like it's fun sometimes you just step away from basketball and
12:15 do some other stuff and still work on my body.
12:18 So I feel like after my rehab when I'll be really back at 100%,
12:22 I'll just go back to boxing and just playing tennis, jujitsu, whatever.
12:27 Just keep my body in shape.
12:29 >> We got one on the zoom, Crystal Saltas, go ahead Crystal.
12:36 >> Hey, Lou, hope you're doing well first of all.
12:39 For you, you mentioned before that the goal for the next season is the playoffs.
12:42 So what makes you so optimistic if you look the work that you put in as a team and
12:47 the quality that you have, what makes you so optimistic for the next season?
12:53 >> I mean, just really what we building, the foundation that we base and
12:59 the goals that we're setting.
13:01 I feel like we're not too far from that.
13:04 It's just like I said, a lot of games came down to the wire and
13:07 it was just not having a lot of experience.
13:10 So I feel like just another year in our belt is gonna help the team just growing.
13:15 And I feel like we're gonna be in a way better position.
13:17 >> Thank you, Lou.
13:20 >> Thank you.
13:21 >> Thank you.