Dallas Mavericks Center Among Best Players 21 Years Old or Younger

The 2024 All-Rookie selection is in high standing with some of the league's brightest young stars

Jun 6, 2024; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Dallas Mavericks center Dereck Lively II (2) reacts in the third quarter against the Boston Celtics during game one of the 2024 NBA Finals at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports / David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports

The Dallas Mavericks made a bold decision in the 2023 NBA Draft, trading back from 10 to 12 while offloading the Davis Bertans contract and selecting Dereck Lively II from Duke. After initially thinking he'd have to spend time in the G-League to develop, he became an instant impact player for the Mavs.

His impact alongside Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving surprised many after he underwhelmed in his lone season at Duke. As a former No. 1 overall recruit, he had high expectations in college but is fully realizing his potential in the NBA.

The Athletic recently published their mock draft of the best players in the NBA 21 years old or younger and Lively might've been higher than you would've anticipated. Their goal was to create the best team possible that could compete for a championship five years from now.

As expected, Victor Wembanyama and Paolo Banchero were the first players off the board followed by Alperen Sengun and Brandon Miller. Selected 5th overall in this mock draft was Dallas' Dereck Lively II.

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This is what Will Guillory said of the selection: "For the record, Cooper Flagg would’ve absolutely been my pick here if he were eligible for this exercise. However, landing Lively is a pretty decent consolation prize. The 7-foot-1, 230-pound center played a crucial role on a Mavericks squad that won the Western Conference last season, and he doesn’t turn 21 until February. He’s got such great length and athleticism at the position, and he’s already become a fantastic complement to Luka Doncic on the offensive end as a lob threat and a passer on the short roll. This past draft, teams were speaking openly about their desire to find the next Lively."

Lively ended up on a team in this hypothetical with Banchero, Jonathan Kuminga, Scoot Henderson, Josh Giddey, Jeremy Sochan, Shaedon Sharpe, and Zach Edey. That team features a lot of frontcourt players but Lively stands out as one of the best among them.

In his rookie season, Lively averaged 8.8 PPG, 6.9 RPG, and 1.4 BPG while helping the Mavericks to the NBA Finals. He also showcased his ability as a short-roll passer and flashed his future as a three-point shooter in the NBA Finals. His defensive versatility allows him to switch out onto the perimeter and hold his own and he's a terror on both ends of the floor around the rim. Dallas fans should be excited about his potential.

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