Philadelphia Native, Dallas Mavericks Center Dereck Lively II Hits Growth Spurt

Philadelphia native and Dallas Mavericks center Dereck Lively II already ranked among the tallest players in the NBA at 7-foot-1. At 21 years old, however, he isn’t done growing.

According to a report from Mavericks general manager Nico Harrison, Lively shot up to 7-foot-3 at some point in the past year. He also gained an inch of wingspan, up to seven feet, nine inches. In an offseason photo, fans spotted Lively towering over fellow Mavericks big man Anthony Davis, reportedly 6-foot-10. Admittedly, Davis appears to have his knees bent in the picture while Lively stands tall.

A 2023 first round pick out of Duke who graduated from the Westtown School in West Chester, Pa., Lively appeared in just 36 games for the Mavericks during the 2024-25 season as a result of a stress fracture in his right ankle.

Averaging 23.1 minutes per game and making 29 starts, Dereck Lively put up close to a double-double with 8.7 points and 7.5 rebounds per game. He also added an average of 1.6 blocks… and a growth spurt heading into his third season in the league could make him an even more formidable presence in the front court.