Chandler stabilized the Mavericks’ defense and took on most of the hard work and dirty work, allowing Nowitzki to focus more on contributing points. More than 10 years later, Luka Doncic was also a more reliable partner in the penalty area. Dereck Lively II, who was selected with the 12th overall pick, may have the opportunity to become a new answer in the next few years.
Not long ago, Dirk Nowitzk was selected as a new member of the Hall of Fame, adding to his glory as a star of the Dallas Mavericks (now the Lone Ranger). Nowitzki is so powerful that he even changed people’s impression of modern big men, but he still needs a competent partner in the penalty area to help him win the NBA championship in 2011-and “boxing champion” Tyson Chandler is one of them.
The 216-centimeter Chandler stabilized the Mavericks’ defense that year, taking on most of the hard work and dirty work, allowing Nowitzki to focus more on contributing points, cooperating with one offense and one defense, and playing an unforgettable season. Today, more than 10 years later, Dallas is once again in trouble with “frame protection”. Luka Doncic needs a younger and more reliable partner in the penalty area. The team selected Dereck Lively II, who is similar in size to Chandler, with the 12th overall pick. Maybe there is a chance to reverse this decline.
More importantly, they didn’t waste any time and directly invited Tyson Chandler to guide the 19-year-old Lively, so that the good things missed in those years could be accelerated.
“I have to say, it’s pretty amazing,” Lively admits, making no secret of his respect for Chandler. “You know, I’ve never really been coached by a big guy, especially a seven-footer who’s been active on the court, and he knows all the details, the tricks, the eyebrows.”
Whenever there is free time, Lively will ask the old Chandler for advice, absorbing as many tricks as possible that would take years to figure out.
“It’s like a valuable asset (asset), I can go to the game, go to the practice, and I can ask a special person for advice, ask about timing, ask about footwork, and when to do and what not to do,” Lively said. “Now I have Tyson with me, I am very grateful and will make good use of it every day!”
As for Chandler, he is also very happy to coach a junior who can remind him of his youth, and sincerely hopes that Lively will eventually grow into a better player than “Chandler back then”.
“Honestly, I wish Dereck was better and stronger than I was,” Chandler said. “I want to pass on the experience I’ve accumulated over the years and shorten his learning curve as much as possible. I see a lot of good things in him, and I like his willingness to learn, coming out every day with energy and taking training seriously, and he’s going to be a great teammate.”
In the past 12 years, people don’t know how many times “the next Tyson Chandler” has been advertised, but those rookies usually can’t respond to such expectations; however, this time is different. When Chandler himself looked at Lively, he also thought that “seeing a younger version of himself” is undoubtedly a good start.
“Watching him play, I was like seeing my younger self again, which is really incredible,” Chandler lamented. “I recalled how I worked hard at the time, what the situation was like, and I burst out with long-lost drive and vitality in my heart-but now he has everything and has a bright future.”
Lively’s performance in the summer league was impressive. He showed his elite defensive instincts and communication skills, which made the fans in the audience gasp. His next target is the Mavericks’ training camp, where he’ll have his first chance to work with the starters, and over time, he’ll have a permanent spot there.
Before the draft started, Lively was even predicted by some media to be selected at the end of the first round. Unexpectedly, the Mavericks used the 12th pick from the Thunder to get him, and the price was the 10th pick Cason Wallace and Davis Bertans.
“I felt like I was doing pretty well, but because of the trade, I couldn’t practice as much with the team,” Lively said of summer league. “Through this opportunity, I can better understand my teammates, tactics and rhythm on the field. I just want to adapt quickly.”
Lively played a total of five games in the summer league, averaging 23.4 minutes per game, scoring 8.4 points and 8.0 rebounds, and shooting 68.0% from the field. His defensive performance is remarkable. In addition to a solid and reliable style of play, completing Duke University courses in a short period of time (note: although I don’t know how to do it) is also an important reason why he can improve his draft pick, which allows him to fully focus on basketball and have nothing else to do.
“I made sure I did all my homework, knowing that all I had to do was work hard,” Lively said. “During my time in Los Angeles, I worked with Klutch Sports, and coach Chris Johnson would help me work out three times a day, so I was basically in a little sprint camp for the first few months of the draft.”
“Honestly, Pro Day was the turning point for everything. There was always a whole bunch of questions surrounding me, what were my intangibles, what I could and couldn’t do, and I answered a lot of them that day. After that, I went back to my practice routine and gave it my all in tryouts with every NBA team.”
2023-07-23 12:00:23
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