An NBA champion said the best play he’s made in the NBA was against De’Aaron Fox, but claimed Fox made a big mistake.

Fox signed a four-year, $229 million max extension with the San Antonio Spurs this offseason after the Sacramento Kings traded him last season. He was an NBA All-Star in 2023, but the Spurs’ depth in his position has drawn criticism for Fox’s contract. 

I don’t love this for the Spurs. Fox is not a max level point guard on any team, and in San Antonio he has overlapping skills with Castle and Harper. https://t.co/axfeITihhl

— Kevin O’Connor (@KevinOConnorNBA) August 4, 2025

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The 27-year-old is on a different timeline from San Antonio’s young stars, Victor Wembanyama, Stephon Castle, and recently drafted Dylan Harper. Fox also plays a similar role to Harper and Castle, so the Spurs tying themselves financially to him was a controversial move. 

And when asked about the best defensive play he’s made in the NBA, a champion with the Oklahoma City Thunder reminisced on a moment against Fox.

Lu Dort says his game-winning steal against De’Aaron Fox was the best defensive play he’s made in the NBA

Lu Dort, who won the 2025 NBA championship with the Oklahoma City Thunder, said the best play he’s made in the NBA was a steal against Fox. 

Speaking to the NBA’s social media team, he said, “A couple of years ago, I was playing against Sacramento. I had a steal against Fox, and I went on a layup. That was my biggest one in the league.”

Dort undersold this moment. It was a game-winner. The scores were tied at 103 when the Thunder played the Kings in November 2021. Sacramento had the ball with seven seconds left, and Dort was guarding Fox.

Fox drove to his left, looking for a game-winner, but Dort stripped him. He had five seconds to fly up the court. Dort drove to the hoop, euro-stepped around Buddy Hield, and made a layup over Fox’s contest. The play won the game 105-103 for the Thunder.

After the game, Dort said he didn’t have to do much to make the steal. He explained that Fox lost the ball instead of Dort taking it from him.

He said, “I mean, I didn’t really move my hand that much, he just kind of just lost the ball and I just took it, and then I had to go up strong. I knew there was not that much time left and I had to go and finish.”

Lu Dort explains how he became an elite defensive talent

Dort is one of the NBA’s best defenders, despite making only one All-Defensive team in his six years in the league. He averaged 1.1 steals per game and a defensive rating of 109.9, which places him among the league’s best.

That’s while taking on some of the NBA’s most difficult defensive matchups for the NBA’s best defense in 2024-25. 

The Canadian explained why he puts so much emphasis on the defensive end of the floor. He said, “I had some vets on my team that told me that if I wanted to get a lot of playing time, I’d have to play a lot of defense. I just got a lot better.”

He puts so much focus on the defensive end that he warms up on defense before games. Dort said the key to great defense is moving your feet. He makes sure his footwork is on point before suiting up.

He continued, “I’ve been doing this since my rookie year. I’m working on my closeout, I’m working on going over and under screens.”

The Thunder’s big three, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams, and Chet Holmgren, who all got paid big money by the team, are the players who take the headlines. But Dort is an integral piece for the champs. 

A player who applies his craft primarily to the defensive end is a valuable weapon against the league’s superstars, and he proved that against Fox.