As we inch closer to the 2023 NBA Draft, there is a lot of buzz and excitement, especially for the players who have entered the draft. One of those players looking to realize their dream of playing professional basketball in the NBA is none other than Duke’s center Dereck Lively II.
Even though Lively is just nineteen years old and has only completed his freshman year of college, he has decided to enter the draft.
Dereck Lively II comes not just from an athletic background but also from a basketball one. His mother was a college basketball player herself when she played for the Penn State Lady Lions Basketball team. In this year’s draft, the big Duke center is considered to be one of the best defenders if not the best. His shot-blocking and rim-protection skills are already quite impressive.
The main issue concerning Dereck Lively is the fact that he is a defensive minded player with very little offense in his game. Most of his shots for Duke have been dunks and tip backs while he has had trouble scoring from the mid-range and even layups. In the NBA, especially in today’s day and age, only defense may not cut it. He will have to improve his overall game on the offensive of the ball to make the correct impact.
How tall is Dereck Lively II?
Dereck Lively II is a tall center that stands at 7 feet 1 inch (2.16 mts). When it comes to his height, it seems that he has become so tall as a mix of both genes and his personal efforts. As for his parents, his father was also tall but only as much as 6 feet 6 inches. His mother on the other hand who played basketball during college became 6 feet 7 inches tall.
For that height, Lively is quite agile with nimble footwork. While playing defense, he can easily guard the big men in the front court, but he can also switch and take on the guards in the back court. Factoring in his big wingspan which measures 7 feet 7 inches, his overall reach goes up to 9 feet 4 inches. Once he gets those big arms in the face of the much smaller guards, it causes so many problems for them while shooting the ball. As for protecting the rim, many times he can be seen just underneath the basket waiting to swat away an attempt. His length does not permit the opposition to have any easy layups or dunks.
Moving to the offense, as mentioned previously, he is a great dunker. At times, his teammates can lob the ball and even if it is not precisely on target, Lively will go up and grab it. In the NBA, however, he will have to improve on his numbers as he averaged 5.4 points, 4 rebounds and 1 assist per game while playing for Duke. As a tall center who plays under the basket for so much time, his rebounds average also seems to be a tad on the lower side.
FAQs
A. Dereck Lively II who is 7 foot 1 inch tall has an enormous wingspan of 7 feet 7 inches. Intriguingly, his wingspan is a good half a foot longer than his length.
A. Dereck Lively II was born on February 12, 2004, and is currently 19 years old. He has just finished his freshman year at Duke and has already declared for the 2023 NBA draft.
A. Dereck Lively II who was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania went to Westtown School in West Chester, Pennsylvania.
A. Katherine Drysdale is Dereck Lively II’s mother. Back when she was in college, she was a member of the Penn State Lady Lions’ Basketball team. Currently, she is working as a marketing manager for the women’s volleyball, wrestling and softball teams at Penn State.
