Sophomore Lee Dort moved from Haiti to the United States two years ago. Since then he’s landed more than 12 high major scholarship offers.
Dort’s coach and guardian, Derrick Shelby, said he’s shown growth and development since landing in Texas.
“What I like is his ability to grasp concepts quickly, he competes and he has an impeccable work ethic,” Shelby said. “When you’re working with kids, especially international kids, sometimes international kids get here and figure they’re good now because they made it here, this kid’s not like that. He works extremely hard and he has just played over 60 games and that’s it. Every game he has gotten better.”
Regardless of Dort’s short time playing competitively in the United States, he has quickly made his way to the top of the rankings and has reeled in offers from Arkansas, Baylor, Mississippi State, Texas, Texas Tech, Texas A&M, Georgetown, Minnesota, Kansas, Oklahoma State, SMU, TCU, Vanderbilt, Arizona and Arizona State.
“Everybody now is in the process of trying to build that relationship and get to know him,” Shelby said. “It’s honestly been pretty even overall. They’re really selling their programs, how they play and what they do and starting to build that relationship.”
Shelby did say that he has heard from Arizona assistant coach Jason Terry as well as Sean Miller
“We hear from Sean Miller and Jason Terry, Jason Terry lived here so we knew that was coming,” Shelby said. “We talked to Sean Miller last week. They pretty much tell us the same thing, they tell us about the program, their history and how they have developed players in the past, help them not only to reach the next level but to be successful.”
Shelby also broke down what they have been hearing from Kansas.
“They’ve been saying about the same thing,” he said. “I’m originally from Kansas so I know them very well, they have a history of big men being successful, style of play with the high-low which allows their big guys to get touches.”
Although it is early, Dort and coach Shelby who also serves as his guardian, have an idea of what he is looking for in a program.
“What he’s looking for is a school where he can continue to develop and have a chance to someday play in the NBA,” Shelby said.
Dort has also been receiving heavy interest from Memphis, Illinois and Purdue but has yet to receive an offer.
Dort is currently the 13th ranked prospect in the 247Sports 2022 Composite Rankings and the 2nd ranked center.
