Mavs Rookie Dereck Lively II Strives to Provide For Mother; Carry On Father's Name

As Dereck Lively II was introduced in Dallas on Monday, we learned more about his why and what drives him: his parents.

You never know what a person is going through until they speak on it. For Dallas Mavericks rookie Dereck Lively II, he's been put through the ringer and then some. 

And yet, here he is as the No. 12 pick in the 2023 NBA draft with potential of becoming the future defensive anchor for the Mavericks. 

On Monday, Lively, along with the No. 24 pick O-Max Prosper, were introduced in Dallas for the first time where Lively answered questions regarding his upbringing, which included the battle for one parent and the loss of another.

"My mom has been battling cancer since 2013, and before that, my dad passed two years before," Lively said. "It just seemed like there's been a lot of walls that seems like we can't get around."

Lively's mother, Kathy Drysdale, was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma when he was only 9-years old. 

"I've seen my mom on days where she can't get even get downstairs. I've seen some days where she can barely talk to me," Lively said. "So just to see where she's at right now, right in front of me to be able to be here in this place, it just makes me want to work harder. It just makes me want to provide a life for her that's better than anything she could possibly get for herself."

As for Lively's father, Dereck Lively Sr., he passed away in 2011 due to an unfortunate overdose. In Monday's press conference, Lively was asked what he thought his father would've told him once his name was called on draft night.

"Hopefully he said 'I'm proud,'" Lively said. "I know he's proud. I know I've made my family proud -- my dad's side of my family, my mom's side of my family. Just being able to try to carry his name so my name can reach the heavens."

Simply put, the Mavericks just drafted themselves a special, battle-tested young man in Dereck Lively II. He’ll be easy to root for on and off the court.

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