Former Westtown School star Dereck Lively II will forgo his college eligibility after one season at Duke and will be declaring for the 2023 NBA draft, writes Gustav Elvin for The Philadelphia Inquirer. 

The  7-foot-1, 230-pound center was the No. 1 high school recruit in the nation in the 2022 class by ESPN and is now projected to be a first-round draft pick come June. 

As a freshman for the Blue Devils, Lively averaged 5.2 points and 5.4 rebounds. He also ranks at No. 9 nationally in blocks per game with 2.4 per contest. 

The talented athlete released a message on Twitter where he thanked his mother Katherine, his coaches, his family, and his teammates for an “amazing experience.” 

“I’m so grateful for the opportunity to play at Duke,” said Lively. “Being a member of the brotherhood is something I’ll always cherish.” 

He added that while it was always a dream for him to play for Duke, “now I’ll set my sights on my dream of playing in the league and declare for the NBA draft.” 

Read more about Dereck Lively in The Philadelphia Inquirer. 

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