Dereck Lively II Position

Born on February 12, 2004, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Dereck Lively II is an American basketball player who plays for the Dallas Mavericks. Lively was drafted by the Oklahoma City Thunder with the 12th overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft but was later traded to the Mavs in exchange for Cason Wallace. He plays in the center position and is an efficient scorer and a rim protector.

Lively played one season of college basketball for the Duke Blue Devils before declaring for the 2023 draft. He was a consensus five-star recruit and one of the top players of his class, shooting 72.1% from inside the 3-point line and averaging 2.4 blocks per match. He was named on the ACC All-Freshman team, and ACC All-Defensive team in college.

In the 2023/24 season, Lively became the first rookie in NBA history to record 20+ points, 15+ rebounds, and five+ blocks on 100% FG in a game. He had an exceptional rookie season, fourth in blocks, third in rebounds per game, and first in field-goal percentage amongst the rookies, shooting 74.7 percent from the field.

Lively also had eight double-doubles, fourth most amongst the rookies. He averaged 8.8 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 1.4 blocks per game, shooting an absurd 74.7% from the field.

Dereck Lively II Position

Dereck Lively II plays at the center position for the Mavericks. At 7 feet 1 inches, Lively is known for his ability to catch lobs and finish strongly around the rim. He also boasts elite defensive skills and is a solid rim protector. He has only allowed opponents to shoot 58.7% from less than 6 feet from the rim as of April 2024.

Dereck Lively II Draft

Dereck Lively II was drafted by the Oklahoma City Thunder with the 12th overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft. However, he was later traded to the Dallas Mavericks in exchange for Cason Wallace.