Duke head coach in waiting Jon Scheyer has already gotten off to a very strong start on his first recruiting effort, landing two five stars and one four star prospect over the summer. This week Scheyer and his assistant coaches were on the road visiting their remaining targets from 2022 including the top rated player in the class.
On Saturday Scheyer and his assistants met up with the nation’s No. 1 player, Dereck Lively II for an in-person visit at Westtown School in Bellefonte, Pennsylvania.
Lively has long be considered the top post prospect on the board for Duke in the current senior class - something that was the case when the 7-footer was ranked as a top 40 overall player during the beginning of his junior season at Westtown. And even with Lively's meteoric rise to the top of the rankings, the Blue Devils have remained consistent with their messaging and attention.
That rise has been something to watch as Lively jumped from No.42 overall in the 247 rankings all the way to third overall in the June 2021 rankings refresh from the network. He would assume the top overall spot a few weeks later when both Jalen Duren and Emoni Bates reclassified to the class of 2021.
Often compared to Tyson Chandler, Lively's rise has everything to do with his ability to impact the game at both ends of the court. He was named as the top defense player of the Nike EYBL season and helped his summer travel team, Team Final, win its first ever Peach Jam title by averaging 8.3 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 2.5 blocks while shooting just under 60 percent from the floor.
Prior to winning the Peach Jam, Lively impressed scouts at the Pangos All-American Camp in Las Vegas in July as well.
Earlier in the summer the 7-footer elected to trim his recruiting list from more than 50 offers down to a final seven. Those seven schools were Duke, Florida State, Kentucky, Michigan, North Carolina, Penn State, and USC.
In addition to a who's who of recruiting suitors, Lively has also picked up a prep to the pros offer from the NBA G-League. Earlier this summer it was reported the NBA developmental program was prepared to pay Lively $500,000.00 for the 2022-23 season.
This week he hosted Kentucky and Penn State for in-person visits on Thursday and then Michigan on Friday. The Blue Devils concluded the week's visit parade with a several hour session on Saturday.
Scheyer's visit is the latest official contact and step in the Duke-Lively recruitment and follows up on an early summer official visit to Durham by the five star center which he described as a positive experience.
“It was a great visit," he told 247's Dushawn London. "It was everything I was looking for. It was a family environment and they really just showed me how they help develop you for the pros. It was amazing, the facilities, the coaching staff, and I loved the players too."
The next steps for Lively will be in-season visits to various schools on his list which will almost assuredly include a return trip to Duke. A decision is not expected to be made during the early signing period by all accounts, with the more probable scenario involving an early spring announcement. Such a timeline would allow the nation's top player to further track roster developments and professional decisions throughout the country.
In Duke's case there will certainly be plenty of available minutes as the Blue Devils are expected to lose both starting center Mark Williams and starting power forward Paolo Banchero to the NBA along with starting small forward AJ Griffin. The Blue Devils will also say goodbye to reserve center Theo John who will exhaust his college eligibility following the upcoming year.
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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September 13, 2021 at 02:34AM
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Jon Scheyer makes in-person visit with five star center Dereck Lively II - 247Sports
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