Dereck Lively II started his NBA journey holding the hands of the Dallas Mavericks last year and appeared for his first playoff series game against the Clippers. Unfortunately, Dereck didn’t have his mother, Kathy Drysdale, beside him to share the special moment with.
The Mavs center shared a heartfelt message on his Instagram story for his deceased mother stating that he loves her and knows that she’s watching over her as he plays a crucial game. Playing for 19 minutes in the game, the newbie chipped in with three points and grabbed four rebounds. Though his side faced a 109-97 loss, this game held extra significance for him, and his mother’s presence would have made it extra special.
The rookie was understandably close to Drysdale, who passed away on April 12. Sharing the news on IG, Lively wrote, “My heart breaks saying goodbye to the most important person in the world to me, my best friend, my superhero, my biggest cheerleader and mom.” He also showed up in a Mavs jersey which had his mother’s name written on the back and the Dallas maintained a moment of silence to pay tribute.
Drysdale was a basketball player for Penn State and a vital player of the Lady Lions. After suffering from Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, a type of cancer, for a decade, Drysdale succumbed to it. She had a hard time bringing up Lively alone as her husband passed away in a tragic incident.
What happened to Dereck Lively II’s father?
Dereck Lively II recalled spending good times with his father, Dereck Lively Sr. a.k.a ‘Big Dereck’, who had a jolly nature, but his addiction to drugs ruined his life. There was sunshine and rainbows as the three lived happily together until Lively Senior’s addiction came in the way.
From being a prosperous family, their wealth started draining, and when Dereck was around eight years of age, his father died due to a drug overdose. The young boy struggled his way up in his career where his mother acted as his support system.
Dereck Lively II got a tattoo in honor of his mother, Kathy Drysdale, who passed away on April 12, after a long bout with cancer.
— Courtside Buzz (@OfficialNBABuzz) April 16, 2024
Kathy’s tattoo is added on his forearm to a tattoo that already his father, who passed away in 2012.
R.I.P. Kathy & Dereck Sr., & our condolences… pic.twitter.com/w3Bzbs6CJI
With his parents’ birth and death dates inked on his body, Dereck will be back in action against the Clippers for game 2 on Tuesday as the Mavs look to restore parity in the series.
