Kentucky may have missed on Jalen Duren but the Wildcats will still have a chance to land the No. 1 overall prospect in the 2022 class.
With both Duren and Emoni Bates reclassifying to 2021, Bellefonte (Pa.) Westtown School 5-star center Dereck Lively has taken over the top spot in the 2022 class, according to 247Sports. Lively is ranked No. 5 overall according to the industry average 247Sports Composite.
The 247Sports rankings will be updated once again in the coming weeks with fellow UK target Shaedon Sharpe expected to also be in consideration for No. 1.
It's been a meteoric rise this summer for Lively, who had jumped 39 spots from No. 42 to No. 3 in 247Sports' most recent rankings update in late June.
The agile 7-footer, who has drawn comparisons to Tyson Chandler and Willie Cauley-Stein impressed at the Pangos All-American Camp in Las Vegas in July and backed that up with his play in the Nike EYBL and Peach Jam events last month.
He was named top defensive player in the Nike EYBL session, averaging 8.6 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 5.0 blocks, blocking 35 shots in seven games in helping lead Team Final to a 6-1 mark.
At Peach Jam, Lively averaged 8.3 points, 6.9 rebounds, 2.5 blocks while shooting nearly 60 percent from the floor. He saved his best for last, finishing with 13 points, 10 rebounds and 3 blocks in the championship game as Team Final held off Brad Beal Elite 64-61 to capture its first-ever Peach Jam title.
In June, Lively named a top 7 of Duke, Florida State, Kentucky, Michigan, North Carolina, Penn State, and USC. He's taken official visits to North Carolina, Kentucky, and Duke.
"Kentucky was a great visit. We mainly just talked about being a pro. How to go there to be a pro, refine your fame and start from an early age so you can be prepared for the NBA," Lively said. "Everything there just blew my mind, even just being around the team and coaching staff, being around all that talent and coaching staff was amazing. I was able to play with them. It felt great. I fit in perfectly and I feel like that's a place I can see myself in."
The Wildcats represent the only prediction on Lively's 247Sports Crystal Ball.
247Sports Scouting Report: The potential and athletic gifts of Dereck Lively are beyond tremendous. He has terrific athleticism for his size as he elevates off the floor well and is aggressive in how he utilizes his springs to protect the rim and control the glass on a consistent basis. One factor that truly stands out to scouts at the highest of levels is his commitment to being a center and playing as such. He values rebounding, sprinting the floor, and keeping his motor running in a high gear. He is dangerous in the screen and roll game and gives across Tyson Chandler vibes due to his length and productivity in the shot blocking and rebounding categories. However, with his budding skills on the perimeter, Lively projects as a big man prospect who could be more of a threat offensively than Chandler was. – Brandon Jenkins
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August 09, 2021 at 07:51PM
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Dereck Lively takes over top spot in 2022 rankings - 247Sports
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