Last Updated on July 24, 2026 by Mat Diekhake

Dereck Lively II made an immediate impact with his size, athleticism, and ability to protect the rim at a high level. His presence around the basket on both ends of the floor quickly established him as an important piece of a young NBA core.

Here’s the detailed information on Dereck Lively II:

Player Profile

  • Full Name: Dereck Jerome Lively II
  • Nationality: American
  • Age: Born on February 12, 2004
  • Hometown: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
  • Height: 7 feet 1 inch (216 cm)
  • Weight: 230 lbs (104 kg)
  • Wingspan: 7 feet 7 inches (231 cm)
  • Shoe Size: Size 20 (US)
  • Number: 2 (commonly worn)
  • Position: Center
  • High School:
    • Westtown School (West Chester, Pennsylvania)
  • College: Duke University (2022–2023)
  • NBA Draft: 2023 NBA Draft, 1st round, 12th overall pick by the Oklahoma City Thunder (rights traded to the Dallas Mavericks)
  • Teams Played For:
    • Dallas Mavericks (2023–present)
  • Championship Rings: None
  • Kids: None
  • Siblings: No publicly known siblings

Player Archetype / Play Style

Dereck Lively II’s player archetype is that of a rim-running defensive center, a modern big whose main value comes from protecting the basket, finishing plays efficiently, and giving lineups vertical spacing as a lob threat. Defensively, he projects best as a back-line anchor in drop coverage, using his 7-foot-1 frame, length, timing, and mobility to contest at the rim, clean the glass, and recover when actions break down. Offensively, his role is fairly clean and narrow but highly useful: he sets hard screens, dives to the basket, finishes dump-offs and alley-oops, and keeps the ball moving without needing touches called for him. Physically, Lively brings legit center size at 7-foot-1 and about 230 pounds, along with good coordination and enough agility to survive in space better than many traditional fives. Overall, his play style is built on vertical athleticism, interior defense, rebounding, and low-maintenance efficiency, which makes him the kind of center who can raise a team’s floor without dominating the offense. (NBA)

Scouting Report

Dereck Lively II influences games long before he ever looks at the rim because his value starts with everything he does that creates easier possessions for everyone else. Watch the timing of his screens, the way he rolls with real conviction and how quickly he recognizes when the low man has stepped too far toward the ball. That’s where he becomes a constant target above the rim, forcing weak-side defenders into impossible choices between protecting the lob and staying attached to shooters. He isn’t a player who needs touches manufactured for him, and that’s one of his biggest strengths. His offense comes naturally through vertical spacing, offensive rebounds and quick finishes before the defense can recover. The trade-off is that he’s far less comfortable creating against a set defense when the play slows down. If he’s asked to attack off the dribble or operate from the post, the possession loses much of its rhythm. Defensively, though, that’s where his ceiling really reveals itself. He covers ground exceptionally well for his size, stays patient in drop coverage and has a feel for arriving late as the low man rather than chasing every block from the opening move. His length changes floaters into difficult runners, and he recovers quickly enough to contest second efforts without completely abandoning rebounding position. The occasional challenge comes when offenses pull him into repeated switches against smaller guards who can string together multiple changes of direction, because even gifted interior defenders have limits once they’re defending thirty feet from the basket. To me, his ideal fit is next to creators who constantly collapse defenses off the dribble, allowing him to focus on screening, rolling and anchoring the paint instead of stretching beyond his offensive strengths. It’s easy to overlook how many shots never happen because he’s standing in the lane. Opponents often settle for floaters or kick the ball back out before testing him, and those invisible defensive possessions matter just as much as the highlight blocks. His game has shades of Tyson Chandler because of the rim protection and vertical gravity, while there are elements of a young DeAndre Jordan in the way he turns screening, timing and length into winning possessions without needing the offense to revolve around him.

Sources:

NBA.com — Dereck Lively II | Center | Dallas Mavericks
NBA.com — NBA 2023 Draft Prospects | Dereck Lively II
NBA.com — Mavs learning just how important Dereck Lively II is to their success
NBA.com — Mavericks exercise team option on Dereck Lively II
Basketball-Reference — Dereck Lively II Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Draft Status and more