NBA
DL
#2

Dereck Lively II

Center · Dallas Mavericks · 7-1, 230 lb · Born February 12, 2004 · Philadelphia, Pennsylvania · Drafted 2023 Round 1, Pick 12 (Oklahoma City, traded to Dallas)
All-Rookie 20242024 FinalistRim Protector
NBADallas MavericksCenters
Compare:vs Williamsvs Flaggvs Gaffordvs Thompsonvs Christievs Marshall
In short

Dereck Lively II is a 7-foot-1 Dallas Mavericks center out of Duke, drafted 12th in 2023 and traded to Dallas on draft night, who made the 2024 All-Rookie Second Team and helped Dallas reach the 2024 Finals as an athletic lob-finishing rim protector before foot injuries slowed him.

Matchup model · next gameMedium confidenceFri, Nov 13
vsDetroit PistonsAggressive hedge & help
Proj. points
4.3
range 1.6–7
Line 4.5
48%
to go over
Team win
60%
113–111
Poi 4.3 Lean underReb 5.3 Lean underAss 1.9 Lean underPRA 11.6 Lean over
Likely on himJalen Duren· 76 Rim protectionSolid defender
5+ pts41%

Model lines II at 4.3 pts (range 1.6–7) vs a 4.5 line — roughly a coin flip to clear it (48%).

Biggest edge: venue — home floor — small boost.

Full matchup breakdown · all markets →
Balladex Matchup Model — modeled from real roster ratings, scoring baselines & defender-matchup history. Schedule, availability & head-to-head samples are illustrative in this prototype; production wires live schedule, injury & player-tracking feeds. Not betting advice.
✦ Ask anything about II
The II Story — narrated
Tap play to hear his story, told as a 90-second short.
🔊 Prototype uses your browser's built-in voice. Production would use a studio-grade AI narrator.

Dereck Lively II turned draft-night uncertainty into an instant Finals role as Dallas's rookie rim protector.

A five-star Philadelphia big, he won National Player of the Year honors at Westtown before anchoring Duke's defense for a single season.

Oklahoma City drafted him 12th in 2023 and dealt him to Dallas, where he logged a double-double in his debut and started as a rookie.

He made the 2024 All-Rookie Second Team and helped Dallas reach the Finals — but foot injuries, including December 2025 surgery, have tested his durability since.

— end of story —
Want the full numbers? Open the breakdown →
PPG
4.3
2025-26
RPG
5.3
per game
APG
1.9
per game
FG%
.611
LIFE

Roots & the rise

A 7-foot-1 shot-blocking, lob-catching center from Philadelphia, Dereck Lively II arrived in Dallas on draft night and immediately became a Finals-caliber anchor — when healthy.

Lively was born February 12, 2004 in Philadelphia. At Westtown School he averaged a double-double with 4.5 blocks as a senior and won the 2022 Morgan Wootten National Player of the Year and McDonald's All-American honors as a consensus five-star recruit.

In his one season at Duke (2022-23) he scored modestly but anchored the defense, earning ACC All-Freshman and ACC All-Defensive honors. Oklahoma City drafted him 12th overall in 2023 and immediately traded his rights to Dallas.

He posted a double-double in his NBA debut, started as a rookie, and was a key piece of the Mavericks' run to the 2024 Finals. Foot injuries have since limited him, including season-ending right-foot surgery in December 2025.

Sources: Wikipedia, ESPN, NBA.com.

BEYOND THE GAME

Off the Court

Lively's story is shaped by profound family loss handled here with care: his mother, Kathy Drysdale, a Penn State basketball standout who later worked for the 76ers, died in 2024 of Hodgkin's lymphoma; his father died in 2012. Her influence has been widely cited as central to his motivation.

He carries that legacy quietly, channeling it into a defense-first, team-oriented game rather than personal spotlight.

PERSONALITY

The person

Grounded, defense-minded and resilient, Lively plays with a maturity forged by personal adversity.

Rim ProtectorElite shot-blocking timing dating back to Duke and high school.
Lob ThreatVertical spacing and high-percentage finishing at the rim.
ResilientHas pushed through significant personal loss and injury setbacks.
PLAYER DNA

Archetype & ratings

Archetype
Lob-Threat Center
Temperament
Steady
Leadership
58/100
Scoring49
Playmaking40
Rebounding79
Perimeter D62
Rim protection80
Spacing35
Athleticism70
Clutch59
an injury-limited lob-threat center
ANALYSIS

What the numbers say

Vertical Anchor

Lively is a prototype lob-catching, rim-running center with elite shot-blocking timing and finishing efficiency north of 70% — the athletic backbone of a creator-driven offense.

Growing Passer

His short-roll passing and screening improved into 2024-25 (2.4 assists per game), hinting at more offensive utility than a pure finisher.

Durability Question

Foot and ankle injuries in consecutive seasons — capped by season-ending right-foot surgery in December 2025 — are the central concern hanging over his ceiling.

STATS

Season by season

Per game

SeasonGPMINPTSREBASTFG%3P%
2025-26716.44.35.31.9.611

Source: Basketball-Reference.

ADVANCED

Advanced & historical

Where he sits in history

DraftNo. 12, 2023 (OKC to Dallas)
CollegeDuke (one-and-done)
All-Rookie2024 Second Team

Hardware

All-Rookie
2024 Second Team
Finals
2024 (runner-up)
ACC
All-Defensive 2023
OUTLOOK

Where it's headed

AI-generated · updated 2026

A high-upside young anchor whose health is the swing factor.

On his rookie-scale deal and facing an extension decision, Lively projects as a long-term starting center if he stays healthy. He returned to walking and lifting by mid-2026 after foot surgery, with availability targeted around 2026-27 camp — a timeline still subject to change.

Rim ProtectionHigh
FinishingElite
DurabilityConcern

Contract

Status
Rookie scale Extension pending
Bottom line

A Finals-tested young rim protector with real upside — as long as his feet cooperate.

FAQ

Quick answers

Which team drafted Dereck Lively II?

Oklahoma City selected him 12th overall in 2023, but his rights were immediately traded to the Dallas Mavericks.

Did Dereck Lively II make an All-Rookie team?

Yes — the 2024 NBA All-Rookie Second Team, after helping Dallas reach the Finals.

What is Lively's role with the Mavericks?

An athletic starting center — a lob-finisher and rim protector rather than a shooter or scorer.

Why did Lively miss most of 2025-26?

He played only seven games before undergoing season-ending right-foot surgery, announced in December 2025; foot and ankle issues have been his main durability concern.