Mavericks already have the Wembanyama stopper the NBA has forgotten about

San Antonio Spurs superstar Victor Wembanyama has turned into one of the most dominant two-way players the NBA has ever seen at the ripe age of 22 years old, and luckily for the Dallas Mavericks, they already have a player who has proven he can slow him down.

Dereck Lively II has done an excellent job defending Wembanyama in the past, but the league has seemingly forgotten about him. He only played in seven games last year due to complications with his surgically repaired right foot, which required another surgery, causing him to fly under the radar. Many people have forgotten that he's a key member of Dallas' core after only playing 43 games over the last two seasons, but he has what it takes to effectively defend Wemby.

Dereck Lively II has the tools to slow down Wemby

No one is going to shut down the 7-foot-4 Frenchman, but Lively II is one of the few players who have what it takes to contain him. At 7-foot-1 with a 7-foot-9 wingspan, he has the frame to hang with the Spurs superstar. His height, length, strength, and ability to defend on the perimeter make him an ideal player to defend Wembanyama anytime Dallas plays San Antonio, and he has already proven that he can hold his own multiple times.

It all started on October 25, 2023, at the Frost Bank Center in San Antonio. Both Lively II and Wembanyama made their NBA debuts in an in-state clash between the Mavs and Spurs, and Lively II got the best of Wembanyama. This game was supposed to be all about the No. 1 overall pick from 2023's NBA debut and his chance to set the league on fire, but the No. 12 pick from Duke stole the show.

Lively II finished with 16 points and 10 rebounds to go along with a block and a steal while shooting 7-8 from the field in a seven-point victory. Jason Kidd couldn't keep him off the floor, as he played 31 minutes despite coming off the bench. By the next game, he was Dallas' primary starting center.

On the other hand, Wembanyama finished with 15 points, five rebounds, five turnovers, and five fouls. This was not the flashy debut that many expected from one of the most hyped prospects in NBA history, and Lively II put the league on notice that night.

The stats back up Lively II's success against Wembanyama

He has historically defended Wemby well due to his size, verticality, and strong rim protection, and the numbers speak for themselves. Over Lively II's first two seasons, he helped hold Wembanyama to just 17.5 points and 8.5 rebounds per game while shooting 39.3 percent from the field and 26.1 percent from 3-point range. His overall average during these seasons was 22.5 points and 10.8 rebounds per game while shooting 46.9 percent from the field and 33.9 percent from downtown.

For context, only four teams held Wembanyama to a lower points-per-game average than the Mavs through his first two seasons in the league. One of these teams was the Detroit Pistons. Wembanyama only played against them once and saw 21 minutes of action.

The Oklahoma City Thunder were also in the mix, which makes sense, as they've been one of the toughest defenses in the NBA for multiple seasons now.

Lively II and Wembanyama are bound to have more great battles

When fully healthy, Lively II is a special anchor who can cause Wembanyama problems. He proved this during his first two seasons. While Dallas could consider drafting a player to counter Wembanyama, Lively II makes a good case as the Mavericks' future Wemby stopper.

Lively II defends him fearlessly, and while rotating defenders to send fresh bodies at Wembanyama has proven to be the best tactic to slow him down, D-Live has done an excellent job individually. Not many players have the foot speed to stay with him on the perimeter, and the strength and discipline to battle inside and contain his jumper, but Lively II does.

The battles between him and Wemby were poised for greatness before they even played against one another, and the next one should be cinema as well.

Other teams around the league are trying to crack the code to slow down San Antonio and Wembanyama, but the Mavericks already have their answer. The NBA has just forgotten about him due to his injuries, but he'll be ready to remind everyone how dominant he is defensively when he's at his best next season.

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