Dort Takes Responsibility for Crossing the Line with Jokic

Dort Takes Responsibility for Crossing the Line with Jokic

It’s been a wild few days for the Oklahoma City Thunder and especially for Luguentz Dort. Last Friday, Dort found himself at the center of the storm after a questionable play involving Nikola Jokic. During a defensive maneuver, he jostled the Serbian superstar while Jokic was off the ball, igniting Jokic’s infamous temper and sparking a heated exchange between the two teams. This little episode resulted in Dort getting booted out of the game, sparking a media frenzy and a wave of social media commentary on certain fiery attitudes on the court.

Now that the dust has settled, Dort is stepping up to the plate with a heartfelt mea culpa. “It was a physical game, and I crossed some lines that I shouldn’t have,” he admitted to The Athletic. Following that nail-biter of a game that the Thunder managed to snag in overtime, David Adelman didn’t hold back, calling Dort’s actions “malicious and harmful.” Dort himself is owning up to it, saying, “They’re right! It was unnecessary on my part, and I shouldn’t have done it.”

But here’s a twist: Dort insists he’s not out to play dirty. “I have a tough job defending the best in the game every night. I’m a physical and tough player, but I do it within the rules of the game,” he emphasized. For the record, he’s had four ejections during his career, but he wants to clarify something about the label that’s been tossed around a lot lately: dirty. “I don’t think I’m dirty. I can’t control the media; they’re always looking for attention. I’ve been doing things right for this franchise for years, and I’m proud of how I play. I go out and compete every night, and I’ll keep doing that while the media can keep judging. I’m not dirty.”