You don't often hear about NBA players living with their parents, but Dallas Mavericks rookie Dereck Lively II does still live with his mother, Kathy Drysdale. Lively joined the Mavericks' broadcast for the game against the Washington Wizards on Monday night, where he spoke on what it is like to live with his mother.
"Just being able to go out there and talk about, 'Man I’m living with my mom!' Being able to have home-cooked meals. Being able to have somebody to talk to no matter what time of day it is, no matter what time of night it is," Lively said. "Just being able to know that I got my mom there. There's sometimes she's doing my laundry, well she's doing my laundry... She's making sure I keep my head on straight. So I'm just grateful for my mom. Grateful she's enjoying herself and having a great time."
Drysdale's presence would be huge from an emotional standpoint for Lively. The bond between this mother and son duo is an especially strong one, as they have had to deal with a lot of hardships.
In January 2012, Lively's father, Big Dereck, passed away due to a heroin overdose. It was a massive loss, which led to Drysdale, a former Penn State basketball star, having to assume multiple roles for her son. As she fulfilled her role as a mother, a father, and a coach, disaster struck in 2014.
Drysdale was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma and had to undergo chemotherapy. While she battled cancer, her son was determined to make her proud and eventually provide for her. He took the first big step toward that by becoming a star at Westtown School, which landed him a scholarship at Duke.
During the summer before his freshman year, Drysdale would finally enter remission. It was great news for a family that had suffered so much, and it was just the beginning. Lively's exploits at Duke would impress the Mavericks, who acquired him on draft night from the Oklahoma City Thunder after they selected him with the 12th pick of the 2023 NBA Draft.
Dereck Lively's Impressive Rookie Season Thus Far
His mother's presence and home cooking appear to have helped Lively have what has been a fine rookie season. The 20-year-old has averaged 9.2 points, 7.9 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 0.6 steals, and 1.4 blocks per game in 2023-24 for the Mavericks.
He has impressed on the defensive end, in particular, and looks set to be a key piece for the franchise for the years to come. Lively's good play did not go unnoticed either, as he was selected to be part of the Rising Stars Challenge during All-Star Weekend in Indianapolis.
Lively will be attending the event, but it does not look like he will be taking part in it. He suffered a nasal fracture after being hit by Wendell Carter Jr. in a game against the Orlando Magic on January 29 and has been sidelined ever since. It is unclear when he will be able to return to action, and the Mavericks would be hoping it is sooner rather than later.
They are 22-14 with him in the lineup and just 9-9 when he is out. The Mavericks did get in some frontcourt help in Daniel Gafford and P.J. Washington at the deadline, which at least lessens the blow caused by his absence.
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