Dereck Lively II, 2022’s No. 2 prospect, commits to Duke

Dereck Lively II, a 7-foot-1 center out of Bellefonte (Pa.) Westtown School has committed to Duke basketball for the class of 2022, he tells On3.

Lively is the Blue Devils’ fourth commitment of the 2022 class, joining Kyle Filipowski, Dariq Whitehead, and Jaden Schutt. Duke now has the no. 1 overall ranked recruiting class for 2022.

Lively chose the Blue Devils over Kentucky, North Carolina, Michigan, Penn State, the NBA G-League, among others.  

What’s Duke getting in Dereck Lively?

On3’s Senior National Recruiting Analyst Gerry Hamilton had this to say about Dereck Lively II:

“Lively is one of those prospects that’s best basketball is way out in front of him. For a season on the college level, however, he will be an impact player with difference-maker ability. He’s a terrific run and jump athlete for his size and age. He’s a true center in that he’s a rim protector and rebounder, which also fits the modern game offensively. His ability to step out and shoot the three, and space the floor is perfect for the college and NBA game. His motor and ability to rim run stand out, as he develops a go-to offensive move inside of 12-feet.“