Dereck Lively II - NBA Draft Room

NBA DRAFT SCOUTING REPORT

POSITION: C	FROM: Duke (Bellefonte, PA)	HT: 7-1	WT: 230
BORN: NA	YEAR: Fr.	WING: 7-4+	REACH: NA

Draft Notes

Duke center Dereck Lively II is an intriguing prospect thanks to his great length/size and good mobility. He’s got a good frame with plenty of room to add weight and excellent coordination for his size. He’s a springy 7-footer who flies above the rim and is a force in the paint, despite not having a ton of bulk. His athleticism is special for a player his size.

Lively II is a game changer on the defensive end, altering and blocking a ton of shots. He has the quick feet and agility to guard in space and will become an even more impactful defender as he fills out his frame.

Lively II is a limited offensive player at this point and does almost all of his damage within a few feet of the basket, mostly on lobs and put back dunks.

He does show some promise as an outside shooter but so far this is just in a empty gym or warm up setting, not in actual games. Outside shooting isn’t likely to be part of his repertoire early in his career but is something he’ll likely grow into, in time.

At this point he’s not what you’d call a play-making big but he does show decent awareness of his teammates and the ability to make quick decisions and keep the ball moving. He did average 1.1 assists in just 20 minutes per game, which isn’t terrible for a rim-running center.

I think the game will really slow down for him and he’ll expand his offensive game after a few years of playing in the NBA.

Adding both lower and upper body strength will be key for him as he moves up to the NBA level.