The Dallas Mavericks recently named Dereck Lively II as the starting center. Lively II, 20, is an NBA rookie on the rise after being named to the NBA All-Rookie Second Team and advancing to the NBA Finals, both in 2024. Lively II’s strength and toughness weren’t in doubt, despite his mother Kathy Drysdale’s passing ahead of the NBA Playoffs in the same year.
Lively II’s contributions can help the Mavericks remain a force to be reckoned with in the future, as his overall game could’ve been deflated due to Drysdale’s passing, but he turned negativity into positivity. Here’s everything you need to know to stay well-informed about Lively II and the Mavericks.
Dereck Lively II Is Now a Starting Center
The Dallas Mavericks’ preseason isn’t much of a secret, but rising star Dereck Lively II is now a starting center for the Mavericks. Lively II averaged 7.9 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 1.3 assists per game in the 2023-24 NBA postseason while shooting 67.4% in field goal percentage.
Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd recently revealed Lively II’s current status as a first-team center for the time being. In 2023-24, Lively II and Daniel Gafford were a tag team, but Gafford, 26, was usually in the Mavericks’ starting lineup.
Kidd, 51, told the media, “Both of them are going to have opportunities to start at some point in the season, not just because of injury … But we’ll see how one is playing. It’s open. But we’re going to probably start D-Live with the first group and see how that goes.”
Jason Kidd Speaks Highly of Dereck Lively II
After the first two days of running with the starters, Dallas Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd spoke highly of Dereck Lively II. Lively II’s rookie season in the NBA was incredible. Lively II made the NBA All-Rookie Second Team after averaging 8.8 points, 6.9 assists, and 1.1 assists in the 2023-24 NBA season while shooting 74.7% in field goal percentage.
Kidd said of Lively II, “He’s done great … His energy has been incredible. He’s worked on his game, you can tell. His energy and his spirit, he’s shooting the three well. His post-up game is really (good). He’s just doing everything at a high level with that starting group.”
Kidd added, “We’ll look at Gaff starting with that starting group (in the evening part of two-a-days Wednesday) just to see how that looks, too.”
Dereck Lively II’s Perspective
Dereck Lively II is a rare NBA rookie who made it to the NBA Finals in their freshman season. However, Lively II doesn’t appear to be one of the NBA rookies who fall into the trap of thinking Finals appearances are regular occurrences, thanks to his perspective.
Lively II told the media members, “You got to stack the days, rely on the times that you’re in the gym, rely on your work whenever times get tough … The amount of hours you’ve put in the gym, that’s what you rely on.”
“There might be times when it gets a little bumpy, but that’s life. We got to keep moving forward and we got to be able to get to that goal, and that’s the championship.”
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