Dereck Lively II is someone who has been through several battles growing up. However, his hard work and determination to be great paid off at the end of it all. He was the 12th overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft. The Oklahoma City Thunder selected Lively but traded him to the Dallas Mavericks for Davis Bertans and 10th pick, Cason Wallace. While he did have much of a showing in college, his time in high school truly showed what he was capable of.
The 19-year-old attended Westtown School in West Chester, Pennsylvania. Lively was one of the biggest reasons Westtown was able to win the Pennsylvania Independent School Athletic Association State title in 2022. During his final year in Westtown, he averaged 14 points and rebounds along with 4.5 blocks per game. The consensus five-star recruit was named Pennsylvania Gatorade Player of the Year and a McDonald’s All-American.
Dereck Lively II committed to Duke University over colleges such as Penn State, Kentucky, and Michigan. There, he averaged 5.2 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 2.4 blocks per game for the Blue Devils. However, as bright as his future seemed in the sport of basketball, his life outside of the game was filled with tragedy.
Kathy Drysdale was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma when Dereck Lively II was 9 years old
Dereck Lively II was born to Dereck Lively Sr. and Kathy Drysdale in Philadelphia. The couple welcomed him in 2004 but nearly a decade later, tragedy struck. Lively Sr. was known to be a chef but he had a crippling drug problem that took his life in 2012 after a cocaine and heroin overdose. Lively II claims that he still has a chance to redeem his family’s name through his work on the court.
Unfortunately, his mother was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma in 2014, when Dereck was 9 years old. The family was already recovering from Lively Sr’s death and young Dereck did not understand the things that his family was going through. After eight long years, Kathy entered remission. However, watching his mother struggle only pushed him further.
Much like Dereck Lively II, his mother was also a bright basketball star. She played basketball at Penn State for a couple of years and graduated with a degree in arts and science. Kathy also briefly worked for the Philadelphia 76ers in the NBA. She helped manage game operations and presentations among many other team-related activities. Dereck was the only child out this marriage.