DHJ Quick Take: Dereck Lively II Gives Patient Foot Update at Mavericks Camp
Dallas Mavericks center Dereck Lively II, six months removed from season-ending right foot surgery, told reporters at a youth camp he is out of his walking boot but won’t rush a return or set a timetable.
- Where did Dereck Lively II speak? He addressed his recovery Friday after spending the afternoon with young players at a Mavericks youth camp.
- Why won’t he commit to a timetable? He says he’d rather take extra time than risk re-injuring the foot, and won’t rush back.
- Who is helping his recovery? Former Mavericks center Tyson Chandler has mentored him, alongside diet changes and a daily 10,000-to-15,000-step routine.
- What’s next? Lively wants confirmation the foot is fully healed before resuming basketball activities, with training camp roughly three months away.
COLLEYVILLE, Texas — Dereck Lively II is six months removed from season-ending foot surgery, out of his walking boot, and in no hurry to circle a return date.
The Dallas Mavericks center addressed his recovery Friday after spending the afternoon with young players at a team youth camp, framing the road back as a deliberate one.
“I’m taking my time,” Lively said. “I’m taking even more time than I need to make sure I don’t ever have to deal with this foot again. So whenever I can get past that and get over this hill, I know I’ll be 100 percent free.”
Lively, 22, looked at home among the campers, drawing on his own memories of attending camps in central Pennsylvania as a kid.
“If I’m being honest, I’m a big kid,” Lively said. “I remember 10 years ago I was with them and I was in their position. So I know that being in camps and having someone that you can look up to come, it makes a really big impact.”
He leaned into the chance to connect, working through high-fives and defensive slides with a loud gym full of kids.
“Whenever they see us on TV, they think we’re superheroes,” Lively said. “Whenever they come and see you in person, they actually realize you’re human, and then they can realize that they can get to the position that I’m in.”
His health remains the larger storyline. Lively, the 12th pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, anchored Dallas’ run to the 2024 NBA Finals as a rookie but has been slowed ever since. He has had two operations on the same right foot in less than a year, clearing bone spurs in July 2025 before a December procedure ended his season after just 7 games. A stress fracture in his right ankle had already erased much of the season before that, leaving him with 43 appearances over the past two years. In his brief run this season, he averaged 4.3 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 1.9 assists with 1.6 blocks in 16.4 minutes, shooting 61.1% from the field.
Dereck Lively II Won’t Rush His Return
With training camp roughly three months out, Lively said the foot itself, not the calendar, will decide when he plays again.
“I’m just waiting to see that my foot’s good,” Lively said. “Even when it’s good, I’ve got to wait even more to make sure I don’t have to deal with this again. I’m never going to rush back. I’m never going to worry about that.”
He has heard the durability questions and waved them off.
“If I’ve got to take what the fans or the public have to say about me, that I’m brittle or all that, cool,” Lively said. “But whenever I come back, don’t forget who I am.”
The comeback has moved in small steps. Lively said he can lift and move again but isn’t cleared to run or jump, and he counts each stage as a win.
“I went from being on a scooter, to two crutches, to one crutch, to just a boot, and now to be able to walk,” Lively said. “I’m really just thankful for the small milestones.”
Tyson Chandler Helping Dereck Lively II Stay Centered
Lively credited former Mavericks center Tyson Chandler, a member of the 2011 championship team who has worked with him since his rookie year, for keeping his focus on what he can control.
“He’s helped me stay centered and worry about the things I need to worry about and the things I can control,” Lively said.
Much of that has played out away from the court. Lively pointed to an overhauled diet, more time lifting and a daily push of 10,000 to 15,000 steps through swimming and walking.
“My diet has definitely been a big change,” Lively said. “I’m able to lift a lot more. I’m a lot more flexible. No matter if I’m swimming or walking, I’m trying to stay in shape.”
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