By RYAN McMULLEN
Dereck Lively II, the class of 2022 center from the Westtown School (PA) and Team Final AAU, broke down his recruitment with ZAGSBLOG.
The 6-foot-11 Lively has received offers and interest from over 30 schools thus far but seven are prioritizing him.
“Memphis, North Carolina, Ohio State, Michigan, Florida State, Miami, and Pitt are the ones prioritizing me the most right now,” he said.
Lively then broke down each school.
Memphis: “The coaching staff has been great. It seems that they’re very interested in helping get their players to the next level. Coach (Penny) Hardaway’s passion is contagious and makes you want to be a better player.”
North Carolina: “They are North Carolina who has been a top program in the country. They have a lot of success within their program and they’ve been reaching out to me consistently. The ACC is a tough conference.”
Ohio State: “Ohio State is one of the best teams in the Big Ten. I’ve had a Zoom call with them and they always reach out. Building on the success they’ve had would be cool to be a part of. “
Michigan: “With a new head coach in Coach (Juwan) Howard with a young team makes them exciting to watch. They compete and they are looking to build something that is intriguing to be a part of.”
Florida State: “I’ve had a Zoom call with them and they consistently keep in touch. I like their style of play. The ACC is always a tough conference to play in.”
Miami: “They have reached out to me the most. They are a competitive program and always competes in the ACC.”
Pitt: “I’ve had great conversations with them. They reach out to me a lot. Again, a new head coach to the program in Coach (Jeff) Capel is building something that would be exciting to be a part of.
After asked about a timetable for cutting down his list and committing, he said, “I don’t have a time when I’m going to cut my list and commit yet.”
Some important factors for Lively into making a decision include “Education, development, and competition.”
The Nike EYBL cancelled their season due to Covid-19 so he has continued to train.
“Since around April I have been able to get into a gym and have been working out on a regular basis since.”
Next season the Westtown School will return a loaded core of Lively II along with five-star Jalen Warley and four-star Franck Kepnang.
Looking towards his high school season next season he said, “We are expecting to win the league, the states, and compete on a national level.”
According to 247Sports, Lively II is ranked No. 35 nationally and is the No. 4 center.
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