Mavs’ Dereck Lively II Speaks After 2024 Rising Stars Challenge

Mavs’ Dereck Lively II Speaks After 2024 Rising Stars Challenge

L of out there today whole lot of fun you know you’re going out there with a different team you’re going out there with a bunch of group of guys never play together you just got to go out there and have fun and enjoy yourself and that’s what we

Did uh you know I’m not worried about the MVP and all that I’m just going out there trying to make sure we get the dub trying to make sure you know we put on a show for the people for the people who’s watching us and for the people who came

To the game I know you been pretty talking not just with us but your teammates out there maybe more so than when you’re around m is there a reason for that I mean you know there’s a lot of people I know out there you know there’s a lot of people who I’ve grown

Up with played against uh Rivals and you know just being able to go out there and compete against them at this level is just kind of just like a moment where you just got to laugh and just see you know I remember we were in eighth grade

Playing against each other now we’re in the rising stars game so it’s being able to just be able to be here enjoy yourselves and just walk off with a smilees an amazing feeling when you look at the day as the whole just what what the Highlight what something that’s

Going to be like all right I’m going to remember this for um I’d probably say that first dunk you know being able to come out here and actually score the ball and be able to be comfortable with the mask on is amazing you know I wasn’t going to know

I didn’t know how the game was going to go didn’t know what type of Defense what type of offense we’re going to play we just went out there played basketball and that’s the best way we could do it did that T I actually help you get comfortable oh definitely did each time

I put on the mask it get more comfortable and comfortable with it you know going out there getting three lobs in both games well two lobs in a putback in one of the games but being able to just man going out there having fun you know there’s nothing better like that in

The world your play with in this game uh Jaylen imman uh those are some of the players that I’ve been played to get played with since I was uh in middle school and a little bit in high school and then just playing up against uh she from college and then just going up

Against uh known Matas for a little while I’ve known Ron for a little while so it’s being able to just have see all paths kind of come together it’s amazing feeling because it make it seem so surreal today yeah honestly you know it’s just a bunch of people out there

Playing a child’s game you know we’re playing basketball for fun and I wouldn’t trade it for anything so we talked to you at noon you had not eaten yet I assume you finally got something to eat oh yeah I got something to eat highlight like

Between uh I got some pizza I got some Chipotle uh in between the semi-finals and finals I had some also had some food as well but you got to be able to stay fueled right what was the highlight of your afternoon I mean or did you sleep

Or what did you do uh I would definitely say I had a I had an interview with me and my mom and you guys are going to see that next week so I’m not going to say with who but just being able to just doing interview with my mom like that’s

That’s hilarious and we were on ESPN so just being able to just have that experience is it’s amazing man it’s the first time having an interview with your mom yeah I mean just being a at this level this the first time I’ve ever done anything like

That so being able to see my mom get in some Spotlight makes her feel good so I’m happy does this weekend allow you to reflect a little on just the journey you’ve been on and what this this season has been like for you for sure you know

There’s a lot of ups and downs but the lesson that you got to learn is to always have fun with it no matter what city no matter what day no matter what time of day you got to be able to enjoy the little moments and the and the bad

Moments you know there’s a lot of things that’s going to go on in each day and the day stack up so just being able to just come out here with a smile is amazing Derek why did you choose the KOB 5 R leag to play today

Tonight um you know I wore them in my game coming back with the mask so I they had some luck with them and we’re going to keep it going that’s what I would say Derek talk about the B been playing on and playing against I’m from Australia

Played with Dante as well how’s your experience been playing with Aussies does it feel a lot different than the American style of basketball uh yeah they definitely have a unique way of a unique style of play you know I feel like they’re a run jump and get on top

Of the rim but also get the corner three and a one more pass but being able to play I play with Tyrese Proctor uh Dante and Josh Green so just being able to just see a different style a different style of play makes you learn a little

Bit more of the game and how’s the B with those boys hilar a couple things hilarious uh some uh Aussie uh might you got to stay with the right accent yeah are you sticking around for the rest of the weekend or you going to go get some

RNR uh I’m going to be leaving Sunday but I’m going to be here all Saturday and going to be able to watch the the whole slam done contest and Three-Point Contest tomorrow what do you hope to just soak in from just being able to hang out and watch and mingle with

People the experience you know there’s a lot of there’s a lot of names out here there’s a lot of people here who made names for themselves and made a business for himself being able to go out here I can ask questions I can learn I can observe and just soak up of everything

How’s that mat been adjusted to it being able to just make a couple C customizations to it so that I can see the balls see lobs see offensive rebounds see boards and it just really just comes with just playing and playing and playing and get used to it D you

Mentioned playing with some of those guys you just played in that gague game watching that first game you think they made some sort of this weekend kind of their whole footprint on this entire weekend of I mean they definitely did they came out to play they came out to

Play basketball they were come out here to play an allstar game you know this they’re a great team both teams are good you know it was a I feel like it was a back and forth type of a game the whole time we were watching but you know the

G-league team was uh fortunate enough to come out on top you know respect to them obvious lot um it’s a hard question uh I’ve seen Sabrina and you know giving her a hug I wish her the best of luck but you know I’m waiting to see who’s going to come

Out on top of that one I definitely say that was the one that had me shock cuz she was like thank you for wearing my shoes and I’m like of course thank you for making them that comfortable like just B back important for people you never get to talk

To looking forward to playing in the real NBA game off game one day I hope open dream I was with Tim hway senior this morning he said that the maps can be one of the contenders for for title this this year you think the same way I

Definitely think so I feel like we’re the Dark Horse of every that everybody doesn’t want to look at but we’re in the back of their minds so we just got to be able to keep the streak going we got to be able to make sure we stay focused and

Be able to get each game plan done whenever game whenever game time comes tell me what did you find your first year when you arrived to the Lo room with Luka K how special was that honestly you go in there with a lot of names a lot of characters a lot of

Energy you got to be able to find your part you got to be able to find your position and fit in you know you got to I’m not going in there and try to be me me me me me you got to go in there and

Just be able to just find your way to into the team be able to find your way into uh to trust in one another and be able to build chemistry you know it takes time sometimes it clicks and sometimes it don’t we’ve been lucky enough for it to click something that

Surprised me was uh what gr Williams said when he arrived to to sh you know what saying about I’m guess I’m pretty sure he said something uh he loved the energy you played always for Luka and you know it’s not s yep yep just going out there you know why would I

Want to shoot a three if I give the ball to luuka and Kai and then they’re going to knock down a step back three or side step three so just being able to have players like that there you know he got to be able to just play basketball not

Going out there focus on the name on the back of your jersey focus on the name in the front of your jersey you live with them uh can you tell us something that we probably don’t know about LCA uh Luca is probably the biggest kid you’re going

To meet um he’s going to be the one to tap on your shoulder you’re going to look that way but he’s on the other side he’s always going to crack a joke he’s always just trying to make you laugh and Kyrie’s just always just trying to sneak

In a little joke where you never going to find him because you know he’s always uh he’s always uh sitting in the background but he’s always listening he’s hilarious about that those moments with with them probably traveling probably in a restaurant uh I don’t know

Maybe I I know I know Luka from Madrid but I don’t know how’s Kye uh Kyrie on the surface everyone thinks he’s a quiet person but you know I feel like the media is kind of making a misrepresentation of him he’s a great dude he’s always uh always going to

Check on you always going to make sure that you’re doing well mentally physically spiritually and he’s always going to make sure that you as a person is sound he’s not going to make sure that you’re in your head he’s not going to make sure that you’re thinking about

Other things going to make sure you’re focused on what’s going on now let’s just do a couple more guys ad uh go hoop I want to see at least three uh three side step or step back threes calling it can I get your thoughts on Ty how translate to the NBA

Very well honestly I’ve been saying that for actually a couple years now you know being able to see him uh move up to Duke last year uh from being a senior it’s amazing you know he’s a great player he learns fast he’s uh running gun type of

Player and he knows how to make the right play he knows if he needs to shoot a three he needs to get to the rim or if he needs to find a teammate you know I feel like he’s the he was one of my best peoples whenever it came to do you know

He was uh we built a bond I I call him every other week appreciate y you have a good y

Dallas Mavericks rookie Dereck Lively II spoke to reporters about various topics after helping Team Jalen win the Rising Stars Challenge during 2024 NBA All-Star Weekend.

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