Dereck Lively II is first Maverick Player to earn Rising Stars Nod Since Luka Doncic

[SleepingHero]

Voting is conducted by the NBA head coaches who are not allowed to vote for players on their own team.[1] The All-Rookie Team is generally composed of two five-man lineups: a first team and a second team. The players each receive two points for each first team vote and one point for each second team vote. The top five players with the highest point total make the first team, with the next five making the second team. In the case of a tie at the fifth position of either team, the roster is expanded. If the first team consists of six players due to a tie, the second team will still consist of five players with the potential for more expansion in the event of additional ties.


^ from the CBA.

All lively has to do is make top 5 in terms of points, which may or may not be difficult.

Wemby and Chet are for sure making it. Jacquez, Miller, Lively, and George all have a shot too.

[MFFL]

Mavericks’ Dereck Lively II lost his last living parent, but found a family with his team

Tim Cato

https://theathletic.com/5465190/2024/05/...-playoffs/

[michaeltex]

Mavericks’ Dereck Lively II lost his last living parent, but found a family with his team

Tim Cato

https://theathletic.com/5465190/2024/05/...-playoffs/

That's a really beautiful tribute. Thanks for sharing.

[Branduil]

Next step for Lively is going to be working on a reliable 3-point shot. He's already great at defense and rim-running, but if he can play 5-out it will really open up everything on offense when he's in the game. I don't want him to just become a shooter of course, but the threat is important.

[Chicagojk]

Next step for Lively is going to be working on a reliable 3-point shot. He's already great at defense and rim-running, but if he can play 5-out it will really open up everything on offense when he's in the game. I don't want him to just become a shooter of course, but the threat is important.

Not saying you are wrong, but I sort of disagree.  I think that part of his game is coming.   I so enjoyed a young player who played to his strengths and not wanting to show the world that he can shoot a three (See Mo Bamba).

In my opinion, my next steps for him is being able to finish in the paint more.  He was much better at this than I was expecting, but I think the touch shots and push shots would do wonders for his game.   Everything else though, I just want to see slow improvement...rebounding, defense, playmaking.    He has a chance to be so good.   I am not sure general NBA knows that yet.   Maybe not all nba teams, but a guy who can be so impactful while on the floor.

[The Jom]

Both good takes. But I think those are another year away yet. Next step imho, which I suspect is less than a year away, is becoming a threat from the charity stripe. Right now teams are way better off fouling him.

[Winter]

Both good takes. But I think those are another year away yet. Next step imho, which I suspect is less than a year away, is becoming a threat from the charity stripe. Right now teams are way better off fouling him.

Good call on the FT%. My guess is that his ceiling is probably around 65%, but I suspect he'll get there quickly.

The three-point shot may be situational at first. Maybe they run a couple of plays depending on the lineup. But I'm not sure they need to hurry that aspect.

[Scott41theMavs]

This team is where it is right now - hopefully closing out the 4th seed in the wild Western Conference - because Luka-Kai-PJ-Lively is already a great core, and will be an even more formidable one as Lively grows.

[MarkAguirreWrathofGod]

Obviously agree about the FT shooting. But they should absolutely have him getting comfortable putting up 3’s next year too. Not necessarily every game, but occasionally. The kid has handled EVERYTHING we’ve thrown at him with aplomb, like a ten year vet. Why limit his ceiling?

[Scott41theMavs]

Obviously agree about the FT shooting. But they should absolutely have him getting comfortable putting up 3’s next year too. Not necessarily every game, but occasionally. The kid has handled EVERYTHING we’ve thrown at him with aplomb, like a ten year vet. Why limit his ceiling?

Agreed. I love love love this kid. Was not sold on the pick at the time, but it was pretty evident as early as summer league that he had a prodigious basketball mind and IQ that would flatten his learning curve to a preposterous degree. Wonderful character and heart as well. Thank you, Nico and Lindsay, for Dereck freaking Lively II.

[SleepingHero]

Agreed. I love love love this kid. Was not sold on the pick at the time, but it was pretty evident as early as summer league that he had a prodigious basketball mind and IQ that would flatten his learning curve to a preposterous degree. Wonderful character and heart as well. Thank you, Nico and Lindsay, for Dereck freaking Lively II.

I still revisit that draft and how adamantly I was against Lively as a prospect. It wasn't until I watched his first march madness game in full did I see what Nico saw. That was well after the pick was made but I was seriously shocked at how good he was defensively. 

Goes to show how important it is to watch the games before you make a pick!