Dallas — Dereck Lively II continues to be a key component of the Dallas Mavericks’ success as they approach the start of their first NBA Finals series since taking home the championship in 2011. With a wingspan of almost 7 feet 8 inches and a unique blend of quickness and power, this 7-foot-1 player has maximised his potential thus far this season. On the court, those qualities are obvious, but what really makes him stand out is his coachability, communication, and mindset.
“He can rim run without having plays called for him, taking advantage of Luka and Kai’s decline. Lively has provided the Mavericks with some significant offensive rebounds this season, according to coach Jason Kidd. His ability to perform at a high level and comprehend his role has improved significantly. On defence, he can guard and switch
In 16 playoff games, he averaged 8.6 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 1.6 assists after being selected to the All-Rookie Second-Team. The 20-year-old rookie has undoubtedly surpassed everyone’s expectations—including his own. He remarked, “I don’t think any of us expected this.” This isn’t what I expected. My mother was surprised by this. Tyson Chandler was not prepared for this. Jason Kidd was not prepared for this. All they wanted was for me to visit the Dallas Mavericks and pick their brains. That seems to be what I accomplished. They probably didn’t anticipate that I would pick things up so quickly.”
Lively’s rapid learning curve and ability to adjust have been evident during his early performances in the NBA Global Games and Las Vegas Summer League. He accepted the challenge of playing in those environments against players like Karl-Anthony Towns, Rudy Gobert, Naz Reid, and Chet Holmgren, seeing it as an opportunity to develop and acclimatise to the NBA level. He’s felt ever since that he’s been given the space to develop and learn from his mistakes.
“I’ve been very fortunate for them to put me in a position to learn,” Lively stated. “I was frequently confused about play calls and positions, but I was able to rely on my teammates for support.” They supported me.
Even though Lively had ailments going into the postseason and during the Mavericks’ run, she continued to be a clear difference-maker on both ends. After going No. 12 overall in the 2023 NBA Draft, he was acquired in less than a year, and now he’s going to be a key player in the NBA Finals—something he didn’t think would happen this quickly. In the 348 minutes Lively has played in the postseason, Dallas has outscored opponents by 13.4 points per 100 possessions, ranking highest among all Mavericks players.
It simply isn’t comparable. It’s an incredible feeling to be able to triumph, endure adversity, and savour this moment with your teammates, according to Lively. “Knowing there’s a family there.
Playing for Kidd, who has already garnered a multi-year contract deal, has contributed to Lively’s growth in a number of ways. The rookie big man was expected to be a developmental prospect, but it was evident even before the team left for Abu Dhabi that he would be given the opportunity to play right away, and he has never looked back.
He’s been among my all-time best coaches, in my opinion. About Kidd, Lively remarked, “He’s put me in situations where he expects me to fail.” “He’s going to leave me in there to learn, even if I fail.” I really like the way he coaches. Upon entering the dressing room, he inquires, “What do we think?” Being under a coach.
