How the Pelicans can learn from Dereck Lively and the Dallas Mavericks
By Matt Alquiza
Dereck Lively has been a revelation.
Before exiting the Dallas Mavericks' thrilling game three win over the Minnesota Timberwolves that put Dallas up 3-0 in the series, Lively had been a machine. The rookie big man out of Duke was throwing down lobs, executing in the short roll, protecting the rim, if there is an expectation for a young big man in the modern NBA, Lively was meeting and exceeding it.
The Mavericks selected Lively with the 12th overall pick in the 2023 draft. Rookies (especially those drafted outside of the top ten) are rarely expected to contribute meaningful minutes on NBA playoff teams, but Lively has bucked that trend. First-year players are coming into the NBA are seasoned as ever. If the win-now New Orleans Pelicans decided to make the Lakers selection at #17 overall this year, there may be a Dereck Lively-like player on the board that can transform their franchise.
Kel'el Ware, a sophomore out of the University of Indiana, check many of the same boxes that Lively did in last year's draft cycle. Plus athlete? Check. Good hands? Check. Above-average finisher? Check. Size to set screens? Check.
Ware is a dude, and New Orleans would be wise to consider pairing him with Zion Williamson in the front court.
The Hoosier big man doesn't come without his issues though. By all accounts, Ware struggled with effort and focus during his freshman season in Bloomington. He would fluctuate between dominant outings against national powerhouses and games against low-major schools where you would wonder if he's even on the floor.
His sophomore campaign brought more consistency, and the hope for an NBA team would be that an offseason in an NBA program would continue to bring him to life as a prospect. Ware was the number six overall recruit in 2022 and was named to the McDonald's All-American game. He led the game in rebounds, and matched his opposing big man stride for stride up and down the floor. His main matchup? Dereck Lively.
The NBA Draft is always a crapshoot. Lively is a rare success story in a sea of washouts. However, his archetype and playoff success opens the door for others to walk through, and if the Pelicans select Kel'el Ware in the 2024 draft, he'd be prudent to throw up some Dereck Lively film to learn his game.