Dereck Lively — a native of Bellefonte, in Centre County, and a senior at The Westtown School — has committed to continuing his basketball career at Duke, write Jeff Borzello and Paul Biancardi for ESPN.com.

Lively, a 7-foot-1 center with a 92-inch wingspan, chose the Blue Devils over Kentucky. Considered the No. 2 recruit in the country, Lively also mulled offers from Michigan and Penn State, where his mother Kathy Drysdale was once a star player.

“I like the whole idea of the Brotherhood, Duke basketball, and Duke University,” said Lively. “I believe next year’s team has a chance to make a deep run in the NCAA Tournament and maybe a national championship.”

Duke’s coach-in-waiting, Jon Scheyer, offered Lively his scholarship.

“We developed a real good connection,” said Lively. “(Their plan is to) help me develop to become an NBA player. To help me master my game on the perimeter and inside-out.”

Lively boasts impressive agility, mobility, and skill for a player his size which helped him rise to five-star status during the spring and summer.

Read more about Dereck Lively at ESPN.com.