NBA Draft Prospect Profiles: Dereck Lively, Duke

Former Duke center Dereck Lively is next on our NBA Draft Prospect Profiles. Despite an underwhelming freshman season, Lively possesses some excellent skills and potential that will interest numerous NBA organizations. With the draft just days away, we dissect his game and get you up to speed on his scouting report.

Career with Duke

Lively had a slow start at Duke due to a calf injury, but he picked up steam as the season went on. After averaging just 4.4 points across his first 21 appearances for the Blue Devils, he stepped it up to 6.5 points per contest through his final 13 starts. He also had an unbelievable stretch of shot-blocking, swatting 3.0 shots per game over the last 18 games of the year. It helped cement him as one of the best stuffers in this year’s class.

Strengths

There’s a case to be made that Lively is the best defensive big man in this year’s class after producing the highest defensive box plus-minus in the nation last season. He is incredible at providing help defense in the paint, aiding teammates who got beat off the bounce. Lively’s quick feet, elite shot contesting, and timing make him a star in drop coverage. He’s elite at closeouts and has no problem making rim attacks difficult without fouling.

Weaknesses

Lively leaves a lot to be desired on the offensive end of the floor. He is non-existent on the perimeter and seemingly does not have a go-to post move or a wide array of ways to produce offense. It’s easily the most prominent limitation and concern of his game. The Dukie should be an immediate contributor on the defensive end wherever he ends up, but he will take a few years to get to the NBA level on the other end.

Overall NBA Projection

Lively’s limited offensive arsenal will keep him strictly as a rotational piece moving forward. Still, he’s raw enough and has shown the capability in high school to develop into an offensive threat. He’ll be a bit of a project, but his rim protection in a league that seems to be pushing the mid-range toward extinction makes him a hot commodity. We safely see Lively as a lottery pick for a team that is a bit softer in the frontcourt.

Projected Pick: Lottery

Player Comparison: Jaxson Hayes