Dereck Lively II, 2022’s No. 2 prospect, sets commitment date

Dereck Lively II, a 7-foot-1 center out of Bellefonte (Pa.) Westtown School will announce his college decision on Monday, September 20th at 6 pm ET, he tells On3.

In June, Lively announced his seven finalists which consisted of Kentucky, Duke, North Carolina, Florida State, Penn State, USC, and Michigan. 

This summer, Lively visited Kentucky, Duke, and North Carolina officially, while Penn State received an unofficial visit. 

Duke vs. Kentucky battle?

This could likely be a battle between Duke and Kentucky for Dereck Lively II. While Duke has already landed a big man in Kyle Filipowski, the Blue Devils are still losing Paolo Banchero, and likely Mark Williams. This leaves a big void for Duke in the power forward/center positions and even with Filipowski, minutes would not be a concern for Lively. It’s also very possible, if not likely, that Kentucky returns Oscar Tshiebwe and Lance Ware. Lively would certainly receive plenty of playing time, but if Kentucky lands Adem Bona, competition for minutes could increase.