Dereck Lively II reveals how Dallas Mavericks squad helped during death of mother
NBA star Dereck Lively ll opened up on a touching story regarding his mom and his Dallas Mavericks teammates.
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Dereck Lively ll
On April 12, Dallas Mavericks’ star Dereck Lively II‘s mother, Kathy Drysdale, passed away after a ten-year battle with Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Despite the tragedy, Lively shared a touching story about the support he received from the Mavericks organization during this difficult time.
Lively, who was selected 12th overall in the 2023 NBA Draft, made an immediate impact, helping the Mavericks reach the 2024 NBA Finals. In an interview with ESPN, Lively opened up about his mother’s passing during the playoffs and how his teammates rallied around him, becoming his “new family.”
I came back one night, and I just looked her in the eyes, and she just wasn’t there. April 12th, she passed. I didn’t know what to do, I didn’t know how to react, I didn’t know where to go. Each and every single one of my teammates came up and said, ‘If you need anything, just let me know.’ My friends are my teammates, so they’re the only people who see how I act, they can tell if I’m a little off and they did. And they tried to make sure they could do anything they could to help get my mind off of things or even talk to me about it if I needed to.
Dereck Lively ll told his teammates,
Dereck Lively II honors his late mother, Kathy Drysdale, who died from Hodgkin’s lymphoma.
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) October 20, 2024
Clutch: The NBA Playoffs presented by NBA2K25 on PS5 | Now on ESPN pic.twitter.com/rgCxt8lr3w
Lively II didn’t let his pain affect his NBA Playoff performances. Against the Oklahoma City Thunder, he dominated on the boards and showcased the flashes of talent that made Dallas believe in his All-Star potential.
Throughout his 21-game playoff run, Lively II averaged 7.9 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 1.3 assists. In his four games during the Conference Finals, he increased his production, averaging 9.5 points and 7.8 rebounds. He also made history by shooting a perfect 100% from the field (16–16 FG).
Dereck Lively ll once made a bold statement regarding his teammates
For the Dallas Mavericks, pairing Kyrie Irving with Luka Doncic has changed the game. The Mavericks’ game has evolved since Irving joined the team, and this past season they advanced to the NBA Finals for the first time in 13 years. Regarding this, Mavs youngster Dereck Lively ll made a bold statement on the two stars.
Their voice is law. If you’re on bullsh*t they’re going to call you out. At the same time, they have the same respect for you if they’re on bullsh*t and you’re supposed to call them out.
Dereck Lively told the reporters last season
Dereck Lively II on the leadership of Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving:
— Noah Weber (@noahweber00) June 5, 2024
"Their voice is law. If you're on bullsh*t they're going to call you out. At the same time, they have the same respect for you if they're on bullsh*t and you're supposed to call them out."
Doncic-Irving’s dominance as well as some of the best role-playing by teammates helped the fifth-seeded team get to the finals. Lively made history in the playoffs during his first season, which particularly surprised the audience. The youngster is on one of the league’s top rosters and is undoubtedly learning from the best.
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Kartik Mudaliar
(892 Articles Published)