UNC Basketball: 4-star prospect Dereck Lively II hoping to visit Tar Heels

Class of 2022 prospect and UNC basketball target Dereck Lively II hoping to visit Tar Heels

The North Carolina Tar Heels are yet to get a commitment from a 2022 prospect, but they’ve extended scholarship offers to eight players, and have their sights set on a handful more.

One of those is 4-star center and top-40 prospect Dereck Lively II, who confirmed last Friday that he had received an offer from North Carolina. A 7-foot-1, 220-pound junior at Westtown School in in Bellefonte, Pennsylvania, Lively already has offers from Florida, Florida State, Maryland, Memphis, Ohio State, UCLA and Xavier, among others. Given his size, skill and current trajectory, that list will only continue to grow until the time in which he makes his decision or selects a list of finalists.

And it’s really no wonder why when you consider what Lively brings to the table for whatever program he ends up with next year. In addition to his game-changing height and wing span, Lively can spread the floor on offense with his ability to knock down shots from long range. He’s a terrific rebounder and rim protector, and runs the floor really well for his size. And if he’s able to add some muscle to his long, wiry frame, he’ll only be that much more of a problem for opposing teams.

"“I have been playing pretty well,” Lively told 247Sports’ Travis Branham. “I am averaging a double-double, almost averaging a triple-double. I’m usually getting at least ten- to 12-points a game and around 14 rebounds a game. I’m just trying to expand my game throughout the three-point line and just trying to be able to put the ball on the floor and just trying to expand my game from a big man just sitting in the paint.”"

Lively might be flying under the radar a bit right now at No. 39 in the nation — where he’s currently ranked in the 247Sports Composite for 2022 — but being a top-5 player at his position and second in the state of Pennsylvania is nothing to scoff at. He’s got plenty of time to build on his already blossoming game, though, as well as his physical stature.

The good news for Roy Williams and the Tar Heels is that Lively seems to be very interested in the Tar Heels, so much so that he’s hoping to get a visit with the program in the coming months. He said as much in a recent interview, noting the allure of having an offer from the renown blue blood program, and how his game could fit their scheme.

"“It was good to finally speak with Roy Williams over the phone, but I am hoping that seeing them in person is coming soon as possible,” Lively said. “It felt good to get an offer from North Carolina and it’s good motivation to keep me moving forward throughout the process. . . They have always been a team that I have watched throughout the years, and I have just known North Carolina will be one of the top schools throughout college basketball, so it’s just been a thought in the back of my head of how it is one of the best programs so it’s definitely a consideration. . .. . .I will be looking for a college that uses their big, and doesn’t have their big just sitting in the paint, grabbing rebounds and kicking out. I will be looking for a school that utilizes their big and can use him to spread the floor, a lot of pick-and-pop, a lot of tap and dive, it’s open on the court and not just have the rule that they’re only allowed to sit in the paint.”"

It’s far too early in Lively’s recruitment to predict where he might end up, but the Tar Heels appear to be in as good of a position as anyone. A visit to Chapel Hill might put the Tar Heels in the forefront of Lively’s recruitment, and in a position to land one of the biggest and most skilled big men in the class of 2022.

Check back with Keeping It Heel for all the latest on the Dereck Lively II recruitment, and everything UNC basketball.