Westtown School graduate Dereck Lively II has risen into national stardom as Duke’s center thanks in most part to his first coach: his mother, writes Isabella DiAmore for The Philadelphia Inquirer. 

Kathy Drysdale, who scored 1,000 points at Penn State, introduced Lively to the game and steered his path over the years. She served as his coach when he was a player on the Doug West D-Fenders in the sixth grade. 

“As soon as you step foot inside the gym, she’s Coach,” said Lively. “She’s thrown me out of the gym before. The only coach to throw me out of the gym.” 

Drysdal’s job as a single parent, after Lively’s father died, and  being his coach was not easy, so the 7-foot-1 center is overjoyed to be able to return the favor after he was drafted by the Dallas Mavericks with the 12th overall pick during the 2023 NBA Draft this week. 

“She’s the reason why I play basketball,” Lively said. “I play basketball to try to give her the easiest life possible, so she doesn’t have to worry about anything.” 

Read more about Dereck Lively II in The Philadelphia Inquirer. 

_____