Why N.C. State’s Torin Dorn isn’t deterred that he’s not the NBA prototype yet

Charlottean Torin Dorn isn’t deluding himself about his NBA prospects; a shooting guard who isn’t much of a shooter has a challenge, for sure.

However, the former N.C. State and Charlotte 49ers player says he has patience and persistence. So if he goes unselected in the June 20 draft (which is likely), he’d be happy to find a place in the G-League or play overseas to keep giving basketball a shot.

“(Playing) in college, you get to pick where you want to go. in the pros, they pick you,” said Dorn, a 6-foot-5 guard who played at Vance High.

“That’s kind of stressful. You just have to enjoy every day and get better. Control what you can control, and that’s your attitude and your approach.”

Dorn, the son and namesake of a former NFL defensive back, transferred from Charlotte to N.C. State after his freshman season in 2014-15. He averaged about 14 points each of his last two seasons with the Wolfpack, along with 7.2 rebounds last season.

However, he never demonstrated reliable outside shooting. In fact, his 3-point percentage dropped each of his three seasons in Raleigh, from 36 percent to 31 percent to 30 percent. In an NBA where it’s essential to spread defenses in order to create driving lanes, a guard who can’t make 3s is a liability.

“I’ve been working on shooting the basketball more consistently. That’s the biggest thing that I need to work on,” Dorn acknowledged after a workout Thursday with the hometown Charlotte Hornets at Spectrum Center.

His shooting has clearly limited interest from the NBA, despite him having a solid NBA body at 6-5 and 210 pounds. Dorn wasn’t selected to participate in the NBA Combine last month and Thursday with the Hornets was the only workout invitation he’s received so far.

Dorn knows it’s no given he’ll play professionally, particularly at the NBA level, but he’s not deterred by the reality that this won’t be easy.

“If you have a vision for where you want to go, the process and the path that you have to get there really doesn’t matter,” Dorn said, after a couple of dozen Hornets coaches and scouts watched him and five others audition Thursday,

“I’ve been playing in the ACC for three years now, so people are staring at you every day. You just have to take that same approach from that level and turn it up a notch at this level.”