Every basketball player dreams of hearing their name called in the NBA Draft. In 2023, that dream became a reality for Dereck Lively. The Oklahoma Thunder had the #12 pick, and they chose Lively, but he was quickly traded to the Dallas Mavericks. The Mavericks needed a big man, and they were sure to get a good one. The 7’1” center from Philadelphia was a star in high school which earned him a scholarship to play for Duke University. Lively battled through injuries at Duke which made him slide further in the draft, but the Mavericks quickly discovered that Lively was a steal at the #12 spot. In Lively’s first game with Dallas, he became the first player in NBA history to score at least 15 points and 10 rebounds while shooting better than 85 percent from the field.

This image is autographed and inscribed “#12 Pick” by Dereck Lively with a silver paint pen. Lively’s signature and inscription were witnessed by an Upper Deck Authenticated representative as part of UDA’s 5-step authentication process. This item is limited to 50.