Evelyn Edefe  

50 i

Only One Out of 97 Rookies Still Playing

The NBA welcomed 97 rookies to the league this season. But only 1 is still playing today.

Dereck Lively II is special. He’s been through so much that so many don’t know about.

He lost his father when he was 8 years old. He lost his mother 2 months ago. He made pain his strength. And he never made an excuse.

On top of all of this, his NBA career is already movie-worthy.

A year ago, he was drafted by the Oklahoma City Thunder. The pick was owed to Dallas Mavericks, who finished the season 4-12 and missed the Play-In Tournament to secure Lively.

11 months later, with Dereck Lively II as their starter, the Mavs eliminated the Thunder. Ironically, OKC desperately needed size and rebounding.

Their season started AND ended with Dereck Lively II. #nba #basketball #usa #rookie #derecklivelyii