Tag: Dereck Lively II

2023 Lakers draft prospect profile: Dereck Lively II

A look at Dereck Lively II, a center from Duke University.

Despite the claims made by some pundits, the big man has been experiencing a renaissance in the NBA.

Nikola Jokic is the reigning NBA Finals MVP. Joel Embiid is the reigning regular season MVP, and the Los Angeles Lakers’ Anthony Davis is perhaps the best two-way star big man in the game today. On the next tier down are standouts Domantas Sabonis, Karl-Anthony Towns and Kristaps Porzingis.

The Lakers should give serious consideration to starting Davis at the 4 and splitting his minutes between the 4 and 5 spots, as they did during the 2019-20 season when they won the NBA championship. That would require beefing up their depth at the center spot, and they may be able to do that in Thursday’s draft.

One intriguing center prospect Los Angeles recently worked out is Dereck Lively II from Duke University.

Victor Wembanyama, Scoot Henderson headline players invited to NBA draft green room

The top prospects are beginning to receive invitations to attend the 2023 NBA draft from the green room at Barclays Center.

With less than two weeks to go until the 2023 NBA draft, the top prospects are receiving invitations to attend the festivities in the green room at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.

Teams each year vote on the players they believe will be drafted early, typically the top 20-25 prospects. Last year, 24 players were invited to the green room and only one player wasn’t drafted in the first round (Jaden Hardy).

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The first two batches of invitations have been dispatched to prospects with 19 players on the initial lists, according to Jonathan Givony of ESPN. There will likely be at least one more group invited based on teams’ final rankings and player availability.

Here is the list of players invited to the draft green room.

Last Update: June 13, 5:15 p.m. EDT

Warriors select Duke’s Dereck Lively II in first round of For The Win’s new NBA mock draft

The Warriors added an intriguing prospect in the frontcourt during the first round of the latest 2023 NBA mock draft from For The Win.

While the Denver Nuggets and Miami Heat battle it out in the NBA Finals, the rest of the league is beginning to look ahead to the upcoming NBA draft. With the official start of the NBA offseason inching closer, the draft is set to get underway in under two weeks.

With draft season heating up, mock drafts are peeling back the curtain to give a look at potential prospects that could be available in the first round of the 2023 draft.

In the latest mock draft from Bryan Kalbrosky of USA TODAY’s For The Win, the Golden State Warriors landed an intriguing prospect in the front court with their pick. With the No. 19 pick in For The Win’s mock, the Warriors added Duke’s Dereck Lively II in the first round. According to Kalbrosky, Lively II gives the Warriors a potential player that could guard players like Los Angeles Lakers big man Anthony Davis. 

Via For The Win: 

After a tough start to his collegiate career, Duke big man Dereck Lively eventually blossomed into a highly impactful player on the defensive end of the floor. Golden State needs someone like Lively to defend opponents like Anthony Davis.

Opponents were just 14-for-38 (36.8 percent) when he defended them in the restricted area of the paint, per Stats Perform. Meanwhile, via CBB Analytics, the other team was held to shoot just 29.8 percent in the paint during minutes when Lively was on the floor.

While he had a very low usage rate on offense, he was an efficient finisher on his chances.

Read Kalbrosky’s full mock draft via For The Win here.

On his way to earning ACC All-Defensive Team honors along with a place on the ACC All-Freshman Team, Lively averaged 5.2 points on 65.8% shooting from the field with 5.4 rebounds and 2.4 blocks in 20.6 minutes per game

Lively was one of five prospects to recently make a stop in the Bay Area for a pre-draft workout with the Warriors. 

The 2023 NBA draft is set for Thursday, June 22 at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. 

This post originally appeared on Warriors Wire! Follow us on Facebook and Twitter! 

Warriors holding pre-draft workouts with five prospects, including Duke’s Dereck Lively II

The Warriors will reportedly bring in five prospects for a pre-draft workout on Monday.

While the Golden State Warriors are searching to find the successor to Bob Myers at the top of the front office, they will also have to keep an eye upcoming NBA draft. On June 22, the Warriors will have the chance to add a player in the first round of the 2023 NBA draft with the No. 19 overall pick.

Before draft day, the Warriors are working out a flurry of different prospects. Following players like UCLA’s Jaime Jaquez Jr. and Indiana’s Trayce Jackson-Davis, the next group of players will reportedly work out with the Warriors on Monday.

According to Anthony Slater of The Athletic, Duke’s Dereck Lively II, Kansas’ Jalen Wilson, Florida’s Colin Castleton, Kansas State’s Keyontae Johnson and Creighton’s Arthur Kaluma are set to work out with the Warriors on Monday.

Via @anthonyVslater on Twitter:

Lively II headlines the group of six players scheduled for a workout with the Warriors. The former 5-star top recruit turned Duke Blue Devil tallied 5.2 points on 65.8% shooting from the floor with 5.4 boards and 2.4 rejections in 20.6 minutes per game during his first season at Cameron Indoor. 

Lively was the only member of the upcoming group to land in the first round of Cody Taylor’s latest mock draft for Rookie. Lively II went off the board at No. 20 to the Houston Rockets. Wilson was featured in the second round of Taylor’s latest mock. 

Wilson played four seasons at Kansas, winning an NCAA title in 2022. During his final season in Lawerence, Wilson averaged 20.1 points on 43% shooting from the field with 8.3 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game last year. 

This post originally appeared on Warriors Wire! Follow us on Facebook and Twitter! 

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2023 NBA Mock Draft 5.0: 58 projections after the early entry withdrawal deadline

Rookie Wire took a look at where the next draft class stands following the early entry withdrawal deadline.

The NBA pre-draft process crossed another important checkpoint on the schedule with the early entry withdrawal deadline coming and going this week.

Prospects had the opportunity to test the waters and meet with teams to gain feedback on their potential draft stock. To maintain their remaining college eligibility, they had to withdraw from consideration by 11:59 p.m. EDT on Wednesday.

The deadline saw several potential second-round picks withdraw from the draft and return to school. With name, image and likeness playing a prevalent role in college basketball, players were likely swayed to stay one more year to work on their games and capitalize financially.

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The 2024 draft is also projected to be weaker than in past years, which also may have played a role in some players opting against turning pro. They likely believe they will have a greater chance of being a first-round pick next year.

With several players off the board, teams can prioritize workouts and interviews with those individuals remaining in the draft. As a result, players’ stock will continue to fluctuate with less than three weeks to go until the draft.

Rookie Wire took a look at where the draft stands following the early entry withdrawal deadline. Team needs were taken into consideration for these picks.

Brooklyn Nets projected to take Dereck Lively II with 22nd overall pick

Bleacher Report projects the Brooklyn Nets to take Duke center Dereck Lively II with the 22nd overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft.

With the 2023 NBA Draft three weeks away, the Brooklyn Nets have a lot to consider regarding the annual event given the fact that they have two first-round picks outside of the lottery. Per Bleacher Report, Brooklyn is projected to select Duke center Dereck Lively II with the 22nd overall pick.

Lively II, 19, did some amazing things during his freshman season as a Duke Blue Devil. After averaging 5.2 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 2.4 blocks per game in 34 contests (27 starts), Lively II was named to the ACC All-Defense team as well as the ACC All-Freshman team. Lively II, standing at 7’1″ and 230 pounds, was 10th in the nation in BPG and was second in the ACC in that same metric,

What the big man out of Philadelphia brings to the NBA is a guy who’s proficient at protecting the rim as well as being able to contribute as a lob threat in the pick-and-roll right away due to his athleticism and wingspan. Lively II also brings an ability to defend in the pick-and-roll mostly as a drop defender, but can provide adequate perimeter defense due to his above-average quickness.

Where Lively II struggles is his ability to be a force on the offensive end. While he excels as a lob threat, which is an important skill in the NBA, Lively II has a hard time finishing at the rim over bigs and has trouble shooting the ball from the perimeter (15.4% from three-point land). However, those issues can be something that comes with hard work and time. Here’s a video breakdown of Lively II by Adam Spinella:

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Warriors add Duke big man Dereck Lively II in The Ringer’s post-lottery mock draft

In the Ringer’s post-lottery mock draft, the Warriors landed some help in the frontcourt at No. 19 with a young big man out of Duke.

With the San Antonio Spurs locked in at the No. 1 overall pick and the rest of the order set for the 2023 edition of the NBA draft, mock drafts continue to roll out as draft season heats up.

Different mock drafts have seen the Golden State Warriors have landed a wide variety of different young talent with the No. 19 overall pick. Players like Michigan’s Jett Howard and Indiana’s Jalen Hood-Schifino have been penciled in with the Warriors at No. 19 in early mocks.

In the latest mock from Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer, the Warriors added some help alongside Kevon Looney in the frontcourt. With the No. 19 pick, the Warriors grabbed Duke big man Dereck Lively II. According to O’Connor, Lively has defensive versatility and offensive upside.

Via The Ringer:

As long as Steve Kerr is coaching the Warriors, they’ll never be a heavy pick-and-roll team. But their success running ball screens with Steph Curry in postseason situations is undeniable, which was a part of the logic behind drafting James Wiseman. Though Wiseman failed in Golden State, Lively reminded everyone why he was a highly rated high school prospect with the way he finished his season at Duke, when he emerged as one of the country’s most impactful defensive players, rebounders, and rim protectors. His offensive game needs seasoning, but pairing him with Curry could unlock his potential.

Read O’Connor’s full mock with scouting reports and more via The Ringer here. 

Via @KevinOConnorNBA on Twitter:

In his first season at Cameron Indoor, the 7-foot-1 19-year-old averaged 5.2 points on 65.8% shooting from the field with 5.4 rebounds and 2.4 blocks in 20.6 minutes per game. Lively had five games with five or more blocks in his freshman season, including a career-high eight-block performance against rival North Carolina.

Lively II earned ACC All-Defensive team honors along with a spot on the ACC All-Freshman team.

Prior to signing with Duke, Lively II was a consensus five-star recruit and one of the top-rated players in the country coming out of high school in Pennslyvania. Lively II was a McDonald’s All-American.

The 2023 NBA draft is set for Thursday, June 22 at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. 

This post originally appeared on Warriors Wire! Follow us on Facebook and Twitter! 

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2023 NBA Mock Draft 4.0: The latest projections after the draft lottery

Rookie Wire took a look at where the next draft class stands following the lottery.

The order of the 2023 NBA draft was decided this week by the lottery, and the San Antonio Spurs received the No. 1 pick for the third time in franchise history.

Of course, that means the Spurs will have the first opportunity to select 7-foot-4 French phenom Victor Wembanyama. They are apparently the team he had his sights set on, and he will now likely look to continue his basketball journey in San Antonio.

Elsewhere, Charlotte and Portland made jumps in their lottery positioning, and they now have more options to consider on draft night. Detroit dropped the furthest from No. 1 by virtue of having the worst record to No. 5.

With the order set, teams will ramp up their draft preparations.

This week, the league converged in Chicago for the G League Elite Camp and draft combine. Though many prospects skipped the 5-on-5 scrimmages and other testing, several seemingly helped themselves with great showings on the court.

Teams will continue to prioritize seeing those individuals that declared as early entrants since the deadline for them to return to school is May 31. Several prospects will have tough decisions to make in the coming days but should have more clarity after the combine.

Rookie Wire took a look at where the draft stands following the lottery. It is important to note that team needs were not necessarily taken into account with each pick. The projections are rather a look at where each individual player stands at this point of the process.

Dereck Lively II confirms pre-draft visit with the Thunder

Dereck Lively II confirmed he will meet with the Thunder.

The 2023 NBA draft lottery is officially over, as it confirmed the Oklahoma City Thunder will pick No. 12 in the first round of the draft.

It’s also draft combine week, which means all of the top prospects are gathered in Chicago, Ill. This means that most players will likely be asked who they’ve worked out and met with so far.

One of those players will be Duke center Dereck Lively II, who confirmed he will meet with the Thunder in the coming days, per Yahoo Sports’ Krysten Peek.

The 19-year-old averaged 5.2 points on 65.8% shooting, 5.4 rebounds and 2.4 blocks in 34 games last season at Duke in his lone college campaign.

Lively II is currently being projected to go in the lottery, with a decent shot at being available at No. 12 if OKC is interested enough in him.

The 2023 NBA draft is scheduled to happen on Thursday, June 22. A full list of prospects who’ve met with the Thunder can be read here.

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Nick Smith, Dereck Lively among prospects to sign with Klutch Sports

Arkansas’ Nick Smith Jr. and Duke’s Dereck Lively II are among the prospects to sign with the Klutch Sports Group ahead of the draft.

Arkansas guard Nick Smith Jr. and Duke center Dereck Lively II are among the prospects to sign with the Klutch Sports Group ahead of the NBA draft, the agency announced on Wednesday.

Smith is projected to be a lottery pick after averaging 12.5 points, 1.7 assists and 1.6 rebounds in 17 games on 33.8% shooting from 3-point range. He has elite athleticism and is highly touted for his ability as a scorer and passer.

Lively is regarded as one of the top defensive prospects in the draft and is considered a first-round pick. He averaged 5.2 points, 5.4 rebounds, 2.4 blocks and 1.1 assists on 65.8% shooting from the field. His 82 blocks were the second-most in a season by a freshman in program history.

Joining Smith and Lively at Klutch Sports Group are Kentucky forward Chris Livingston and Alabama forward Noah Clowney. Livingston isn’t projected to be drafted, but Clowney is a potential first-rounder this year.

Klutch Sports has emerged as perhaps the top agency in the NBA given its All-Star clientele, headlined by LeBron James, Anthony Davis and Draymond Green.

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