Karl-Anthony Towns Speaks on Mavs' Dereck Lively II: 'Dallas Has a Good One'

After their two matchups in Abu Dhabi, Mavs rookie Dereck Lively II received high praise from Timberwolves star Karl-Anthony Towns.

ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates — When the Dallas Mavericks faced the Minnesota Timberwolves in two games in part of NBA Global Games, it marked the first NBA action of rookie Dereck Lively II's career. Both games were losses, but there was plenty to take away from them when digging into the details.

With the Mavs limiting the playing time for rotation players, Lively averaged 18.6 minutes per game in Abu Dhabi while adding 2.0 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 2.0 blocks. While blocked shots show in the box score, what doesn't is Lively's game-to-game improvement in rim protection results.

"I thought they did a really good job. They were rookies," Mavs coach Jason Kidd said of Lively and Prosper after the Mavs' preseason opener. "There was some good stuff that Derek did going against Gobert and KAT. O-Max had some good looks that didn't go down for him tonight."

The Duke product had ups and downs as he had to compete against a Timberwolves frontcourt pairing of Karl-Anthony Towns and Rudy Gobert. The physicality of the two rival star bigs was a great crash course for Lively on the adjustment needed to the NBA level. Lively expressed confidence in his ability to adjust as he gets the hang of this level of competition.

"You have to be able to use a lot of physicality," Lively said after his preseason debut. "You have to speed up the game a little bit differently. The floor is bigger, but it just takes time to get used to it. You have to learn and move on to the next game.

"Just to be able to go up against two All-Stars like that — two people who have been in the league for multiple years and have made a name for themselves — you kind of just push yourself and realize how far you have to get, and just the steps you gotta take to get there," Lively explained.

Dereck Lively II at his first Dallas Mavericks Media Day photoshoot / Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

There surely will be volatility with Lively's impact throughout the early stage of his career, which is the case for any young big man. At 7-foot-1 with a 7-foot-7 wingspan and explosive athleticism, there's a lot to like about the player Lively could become as a defensive anchor and rim roller after refining his game. 

From the perspective of Karl-Anthony Towns, there is a lot to like about Lively's potential. Lively's first athleticism and physical intangibles were apparent to Towns, but his attitude and how receptive to coaching he is also stood out. Towns believes the Mavs have "a good one" in Lively. 

"I think he's extremely athletic," Towns said of Lively. "The way I've seen him on the court, he's willing to learn and has a great attitude, so I think Dallas has a good one there."

Towns offered some advice to Lively as a young center just at the start of his NBA career. For any young big, the value of versatility should be strongly considered when working on their skill set. Alongside a playmaker like Luka Doncic, Towns envisions success for Lively. 

"For a big man on the court, you must be versatile. The NBA is asking big men to do more than ever," Towns said. "I'd say just to keep utilizing his talents. He's also got the intangibles and maximizes them, especially with someone like Luka who is throwing the ball at the rim like that for him, getting him on some space."

After Thursday's match, the Timberwolves' other star big man, Rudy Gobert, shared his take on Lively while offering some advice. Gobert sees real potential in Lively but made clear that a proper adjustment to the NBA must be the most challenging aspect of thriving in the NBA. 

"I'm happy for the rookie," Gobert said of Lively. "I think he has a lot of talent. Obviously, I didn't get to see from a matchup in one game, but he has the potential. It depends on how he's going to adapt, how he's going to work, and how he's going to handle being in the NBA. At the end of the day, that's the toughest part of this league."

Lively's next action will come against a team that plays outside of the NBA — Real Madrid — in Spain on Oct. 10 at WiZink Center. The next chance Lively will get to play against an NBA team will be in the Mavs' preseason finale on Oct. 20, against the Detroit Pistons at American Airlines Center.