Warriors add Duke big man Dereck Lively II in The Ringer’s post-lottery mock draft
With the San Antonio Spurs locked in at the No. 1 overall pick and the rest of the order set for the 2023 edition of the NBA draft, mock drafts continue to roll out as draft season heats up.
Different mock drafts have seen the Golden State Warriors have landed a wide variety of different young talent with the No. 19 overall pick. Players like Michigan’s Jett Howard and Indiana’s Jalen Hood-Schifino have been penciled in with the Warriors at No. 19 in early mocks.
In the latest mock from Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer, the Warriors added some help alongside Kevon Looney in the frontcourt. With the No. 19 pick, the Warriors grabbed Duke big man Dereck Lively II. According to O’Connor, Lively has defensive versatility and offensive upside.
Via The Ringer:
As long as Steve Kerr is coaching the Warriors, they’ll never be a heavy pick-and-roll team. But their success running ball screens with Steph Curry in postseason situations is undeniable, which was a part of the logic behind drafting James Wiseman. Though Wiseman failed in Golden State, Lively reminded everyone why he was a highly rated high school prospect with the way he finished his season at Duke, when he emerged as one of the country’s most impactful defensive players, rebounders, and rim protectors. His offensive game needs seasoning, but pairing him with Curry could unlock his potential.
Read O’Connor’s full mock with scouting reports and more via The Ringer here.
Via @KevinOConnorNBA on Twitter:
🚨NEW MOCK DRAFT🚨
Victor Wembanyama goes first to the Spurs…and then what? The way this draft order shook out it’s unclear what happens next.
I could also see a lot of trades given the amount of teams with multiple firsts.
First round mock on @ringer: https://t.co/sAIg3lMfHM
— Kevin O'Connor (@KevinOConnorNBA) May 17, 2023
In his first season at Cameron Indoor, the 7-foot-1 19-year-old averaged 5.2 points on 65.8% shooting from the field with 5.4 rebounds and 2.4 blocks in 20.6 minutes per game. Lively had five games with five or more blocks in his freshman season, including a career-high eight-block performance against rival North Carolina.
Lively II earned ACC All-Defensive team honors along with a spot on the ACC All-Freshman team.
Prior to signing with Duke, Lively II was a consensus five-star recruit and one of the top-rated players in the country coming out of high school in Pennslyvania. Lively II was a McDonald’s All-American.
The 2023 NBA draft is set for Thursday, June 22 at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.
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