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UNC Basketball: Dereck Lively II set to visit Duke, North Carolina in June

By Blake Cockrum

CHAPEL HILL, NORTH CAROLINA - JANUARY 20: General view of the Dean Smith Center before the game between the North Carolina Tar Heels and the Wake Forest Demon Deacons on January 20, 2021 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images)
CHAPEL HILL, NORTH CAROLINA - JANUARY 20: General view of the Dean Smith Center before the game between the North Carolina Tar Heels and the Wake Forest Demon Deacons on January 20, 2021 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images) /
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Rising 2022 prospect Dereck Lively II will visit Duke and UNC basketball programs in June

Dereck Lively II, one of the fastest-rising prospects in the class of 2022, has announced that he’ll be in Chapel Hill on June 8 to visit the University of North Carolina. Much to the chagrin of Tar Heel fans, however, Lively also announced a date for an upcoming visit with the Duke Blue Devils in Durham on June 29.

The 7-foot-1, 220-pound Lively recently told Tipton Edits’ Joe Tipton that North Carolina is among the programs recruiting him the hardest, though he also named Duke, Kansas and Kentucky in the same breath. He’s also got heavy interest from the likes of Michigan, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Penn State and Southern Cal, all of which appear to be going all-in on the Lively recruitment.

Since taking over the Tar Heels’ head coaching position in early April, Hubert Davis has put on a full-court press for Lively, hoping to earn a commitment from one of the nation’s tallest and most talented big men.

"“They have always been a great big man school and I already had a great relationship with Hubert Davis,” Lively recently told Rivals. “It has been a joy to continue to build our relationship. They are telling me how are looking to play through me and I would be one of the main people, on the floor, touching the ball. I love hearing that because whenever I have the ball, it usually just feels like things are right.”"

Lively has terrific height and wing span, and can spread the floor on offense with his ability to knock down shots from long range. He’s an excellent rebounder and rim protector, and runs the floor well for his size. He’s already a matchup problem for defenses, but putting on some additional weight will further his advantage at the college level.

A rising senior at Westtown School, Lively is the No. 35 prospect in the class of 2022 according to the 247Sports Composite. He’s fourth among centers in his class, and tops in the state of Pennsylvania.

Next. Tar Heel targets climb updated Rivals150. dark

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

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