Dereck Lively II, a Philadelphia native and Westtown School product, was selected by the Dallas Mavericks with the 12th overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft on Thursday night in Brooklyn.
After a trade with the Oklahoma City Thunder, the Mavericks selected Lively. The Mavericks traded the No. 10 overall selection and Davis Bertans for the No. 12 overall pick and a TPE.
As a freshman at Duke University, Lively, a 7-foot-1-inch center, averaged 5.2 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 2.4 blocks per game. He started 27 of the Blue Devils’ 34 games as they won the Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament and advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
Lively was also chosen to the ACC Freshman and Defensive Teams. He concluded the season with 82 total blocks, five fewer than the NCAA record. The 82 rejections were the second-most by a Duke rookie in a single season and tied for the tenth-most in program history.
According to CBS Sports, Lively is the 14th top prospect in the 2023 draft and the second-best center, and he’s a “blend of Brook Lopez and Jaxson Hayes.”
Lively is a rim-running big with good help-defense skills and an alley-oop threat.
A Tweet posted by the official account of Callie Caplan. You can also find out more information about Dereck Lively II Drafted by the Mavericks at Number 12 in the 2023 NBA Draft by reading the below tweet:-
Dereck Lively II to reporters in Brooklyn on his workout with Mavs: “They loved my energy, and they loved my hard-working ability.”
On fit with Luka and Kyrie: “Be a great screen-setter, a great rim protector and just do whatever I can to get them open.”https://t.co/o7HCGnGwEu
— Callie Caplan (@CallieCaplan) June 23, 2023
Lively, a five-star recruit in high school at Westtown School, was listed as the country’s second-best prospect in the 2022 class by 247sports.com. In 2022, he was voted Pennsylvania Gatorade Player of the Year and a McDonald’s All-American.
As a senior, he led Westtown to the Pennsylvania Independent Schools Athletic Association state championship with a 31-7 record.
Lively joins a long history of Westtown High School athletes who have gone pro in recent years.
The Orlando Magic selected Mo Bamba, who now plays for the Los Angeles Lakers, in the first round in 2018.
Cam Reddish, a Westtown native who now plays for the Portland Trailblazers, was selected in the first round by the Atlanta Hawks the following year.
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