In one of the scarier prospects for opposing big men throughout the NBA, it appears Dallas Mavericks center Dereck Lively II is still a growing boy.
Lively is still just 21 heading into his third season
with the Mavs, so it’s medically feasible that he may still have room to grow into what was already a 7’1” frame.
Lively was asked during Monday’s Mavericks Media Day press conferences about whether or not he’s grown this offseason.
“I believe so,” Lively said. “I would definitely say I have [grown], and I just need to get the exact measurement, but I’d say, 7’2” or 7’3.”
The typical human male stops growing around Age 18, according to the Cleveland Clinic, but growth can, in some cases, continue into a man’s early 20s.
What does this mean for the Mavs’ frontcourt? Well, if they want to, Dallas can roll out not just the big lineup, but the gargantuan lineup, with a front court featuring Cooper Flagg (6’9”), one of either Anthony Davis (6’10”) or Daniel Gafford (6’10”), and Lively (7’2”-7’3”). We knew the team would be big and defensive-minded already, though.
Does it mean anything for Lively’s potential health or longevity? Not necessarily, and not necessarily to any greater degree than before, since the man was already extremely tall at 7’1”. Being one of the tallest people on the planet does come with certain health risks, both on the court and off. Knee and back injuries can be an issue for the very very tall basketball player, and aside from that, extremely long bois may also run a greater risk of circulatory issues, blood clotting issues and various bone conditions. But again, all those things were already in play at 7’1” for Lively.
The third-year big fella out of Duke has played just 91 games across his first two seasons due to various injuries, including a stress fracture in his right ankle that held him out for more than two months last year. He reportedly underwent successful surgery in July and is considered healthy going into the 2025-26 season at this point.
Lively’s shot blocking, rebounding and rim running could improve as a result of this latest growth spurt, and as Mavs fans know, these were already strengths for Lively, who is poised to take another step forward in his growth on the court this year.
He has averaged 8.8 points, 7.1 rebounds and 1.5 blocked shots per game over 23.4 minutes per game in his first two seasons with the Mavericks.
If his game can grow at the same clip he thinks he did physically this offseason, watch out for Lively this year. The jump some fans expected him to make going into his second year may come with a few added inches in his third.
