The NBA Community was left heartbroken after Mavs rookie Dereck Lively II announced the tragic passing of his mother, Kathy Drysdale, on Friday. After battling Hodgkin’s lymphoma for over a decade, going through extensive treatment and chemotherapy, Kathy lost her life to the disease at the age of 54. She left her footprint on the basketball world in more ways than one. Long before Kathy became a mother, she was a college basketball star at Penn State University. While the league stood united to support Dereck, his superstar teammates Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving also mourned her passing through a tribute on social media.

In a heartwarming moment, the Dallas Mavericks honored Dereck Lively’s mother with a moment of silence on the court. That was followed by loud cheers and applause by the Mavs fanbase to show their support for Lively. Kyrie Irving shared the wholesome video on his Instagram story, mourning Drysdale’s death. He also shared a picture of Dereck wearing a jersey with his mother’s name on it. Luka Doncic joined his co-star in showing love to his rookie. He shared a picture of himself on Instagram, revealing his presence in the arena during Kathy’s tribute.

The Mavs also released an official statement to honor Kathy, quoting, “We are deeply saddened and heartbroken by this loss. On behalf of our organization and our team, we would like to send our heartfelt condolences to the entire Drysdale family who are faced with an unimaginable loss. So much of Kathy, her strength, tenacity, and joy, is reflected in her son. She left an indelible mark on each of us within the Dallas Mavericks organization and all those who were fortunate enough to spend time with her. Our thoughts and prayers go out to Dereck and his entire family.”

Kathy Drysdale’s life before having Dereck Lively and her impact on his life and NBA career

Dereck shared an unbreakable bond with his mother, Kathy. Despite getting selected in the NBA, Lively continued to share a roof with her until she passed away. In his tribute post to his dear mum, the rookie called Kathy, “the most important person in the world to me, my best friend, my superhero, my biggest cheerleader.” It’s quite evident that Kathy and Dereck always stood by each other in good times and bad. They supported each other when Dereck’s father passed away in 2011 because of an overdose. The NBA pro was only 7 years old at the time.

Kathy was also the first person to hug Dereck when he got drafted 12th overall by the Dallas Mavericks in 2023. She was the one who introduced Lively to the game of basketball. A former college basketball star herself, Drysdale became her son’s first coach. And she showed no leniency toward Dereck on the court. In a 2023 interview, the Mavs rookie revealed his mother’s coaching style, saying, “She’s thrown me out of the gym before. The only coach to throw me out of the gym.”

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Maybe Kathy’s toughness is why Dereck has found rapid success in the NBA as a rookie. He was averaging 8.8 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 1.4 blocks at 20!

Although Kathy Drysdale passed away far too young, her legacy will live on for eternity. She mesmerized the nation with her basketball skills as a Lady Lion from 1988-1992. Kathy became an elite member of Penn State’s 1000-point club, scoring 1295 points, 717 rebounds, and 89 blocks in her illustrious college career. She continued to impact the game after college, joining the Philadelphia 76ers in 1993. As part of the Sixers’ operations team, Kathy helped the show run smoothly on the court during her tenure from 1993 to 2006.

After an illustrious career in Philly, Kathy returned to her alma mater in 2011 as a marketing manager.

She eventually left the position last year after her son got drafted into the NBA. Without a doubt, she will always be remembered as a loving mother and a warrior with a beautiful soul.