Lu Dort and Theo Maledon were recognized as two of the top young players in the NBA on Wednesday. The Oklahoma City Thunder guards were named to the 2021 NBA Rising Stars rosters.
Dort, a second-year player from Canada, and Maledon, a rookie out of France, are part of the World Team.
There will not be a game this year due to the condensed formatting of the All-Star break caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Dort has broken out in his second year, showcasing an improved offensive repertoire alongside his formidable defense. He is averaging 12.5 points and 3.4 rebounds in about 30 minutes per game and leads the league with 32 offensive fouls drawn.
With a greater offensive role, he has shown an ability to get to the rim and finish. His 3-point shooting has been on-and-off — over his first 17 games, he shot about 40% from 3, but over the next 16, he shot 25%. Even with that, he has made the third-most 3-pointers of all second-year players.
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Maledon, selected No. 34 overall, had his draft rights acquired by the Thunder. He has displayed abilities similar to what he did in France, and has entered the starting lineup since George Hill got injured in late January.
He is averaging 7.7 points, 3.3 assists and 2.8 rebounds in 25.4 minutes per game. Among rookies, Maledon has the fourth-most assists per game and the fifth-most steals per game (1.03).
They are the 10th and 11th players in Thunder history to be named to the Rising Stars team, according to the organization.