Former Westtown star Dereck Lively II declares for NBA Draft

Duke freshman Dereck Lively II announced Tuesday that he will be declaring for the 2023 NBA draft.

The former Westtown School standout, who was ranked as the nation’s No. 1 high school recruit in the 2022 class by ESPN, is projected to be a first-round draft pick in June.

» READ MORE: Dereck Lively II could become the best player Westtown has produced

Lively, a 7-foot-1, 230-pound center, averaged 5.2 points and 5.4 rebounds as a freshman for the Blue Devils. He also was ninth nationally in blocks per game at 2.4 per contest.

In a video message released on Twitter, Lively thanked his mother Katherine, his coaches, his family, his teammates for what he called an “amazing experience.”

“I’m so grateful for the opportunity to play at Duke,” Lively said. “Being a member of the brotherhood is something I’ll always cherish. I learned and grew so much this season as both a player and person, and I’m thankful for my coaches, my teammates — and especially my mom, who has meant so much to me — for everything.

“This season was all I could have imagined, and it was an honor to be part of an ACC title in Coach [Jon] Scheyer’s first season. It was always a dream of mine to play for Duke, and now I’ll set my sights on my dream of playing in the league and declare for the NBA draft. A special thank you to the Cameron Crazies, the best fans in the game, for the incredible support. These memories I have will last forever.”

Lively improved markedly as his freshman season wore on, becoming more of a factor, particularly on the glass and as a rim protector. The Blue Devils’ season ended in the round of 32 against Tennessee on March 18. Lively averaged 5.8 points on 77% shooting, to 7.4 boards, 3.0 blocks, and 1.6 assists in postseason play, setting a Duke freshman tournament record with six blocks against Oral Roberts. Scheyer echoed how much Lively progressed and said by the end of the season, he was “the best defensive player in the country.”

“It’s been an honor to coach Dereck Lively,” Scheyer said. “Dereck has had a special freshman season. He’s grown as much as any player that we’ve had from the beginning of the season to the end, and it’s a reflection on the work he’s put into his craft.

“He’s the ultimate team guy. Any NBA franchise will be lucky to have a guy like Dereck because of what he brings to the table, of course from a basketball standpoint, but just as much as who he is as a teammate. I’m so proud of what he’s done and wish him, Kathy, and his family the best as he takes the next step. He’s going to be great at the next level.”

At Westtown, Lively averaged 14 points, 14 rebounds, and 4.5 blocks to lead the Moose to the PAISAA state championship. Lively was named the state’s Gatorade Player of the Year and a McDonald’s All American.

» READ MORE: Westtown’s Dereck Lively show Philly-area ‘grit’ at Hoophall Classic

The NBA draft will be held on June 22 in Brooklyn. According to most mock drafts, Lively is expected to be picked somewhere between the late teens to early 20s.