NBA draft: Dallas Mavericks select Duke center Dereck Lively II with No. 12 pick
Dallas will add one of the best shot-blockers in college basketball to its roster next season.
With the 12th pick in Thursday’s NBA draft, the Mavericks drafted Dereck Lively II, a freshman center from Duke. The 19-year-old is 7-foot-1, 230-pounds and averaged 2.4 blocks per game last season with his 7-6 wingspan.
The Mavericks traded the No. 10 pick Cason Wallace and Davis Bertans to the Oklahoma City Thunder for the No. 12 pick.
Lively II, an All-ACC defensive and freshman player, also averaged 5.2 points and five rebounds per game. He isn’t much of a shooter, from 3 or the free throw line, but is regarded as a Deandre Jordan-esque rim runner.
Dallas was 24th in defensive rating and 28th in blocks last season. Lively II can provide elite rim protection and a lob-threat for the Mavericks offense.
This story was originally published June 22, 2023 at 8:23 PM.