And the second Ohio State player has been taken off the board in the 2022 NBA draft. Malaki Branham went to the San Antonio Spurs earlier in the first round, and now, forward E.J. Liddell also heard his name called when he was selected by the New Orleans Pelicans with the No. 41 overall pick in the second-round.
Two Buckeyes going in the same NBA draft has not happened since 2007 when OSU sent three in the first round (Greg Oden, Mike Conley, Daequan Cook). It’s a trend that will hopefully start to happen more often.
But back to Liddell.
The 6-foot, 7-inch junior improved each year at Ohio State. He went from acclimating himself to the game as a freshman to marked improvement his second year, to an even better junior year. Each season, nearly every single stat got better. Last season, Liddell averaged 19.4 points, 2.6 blocks, 2.5 assists, and 7.9 rebounds in 33.2 minutes of play. He led the team in points, blocks, and rebounds.
More than anything, scouts and executives at the next level can see a guy that isn’t afraid to improve his game. He’s taken feedback from going through the NBA process before and improved his outside touch, his conditioning, and his ability to guard on the perimeter. He plays much larger than his listed height and has a knack for protecting the rim.
.@EasyE2432 is headed to the Big Easy to join @PelicansNBA with the 41st pick#NBADraft pic.twitter.com/PCyi3BjqhT
— Ohio State Hoops (@OhioStateHoops) June 24, 2022
If Liddell continues to work as hard on his game as he has at Ohio State, don’t be surprised if he makes the most of his NBA opportunity with a long, productive career.
In fact, it’s a bit surprising to see Liddell fall so much further down the draft than many anticipated. In most mock drafts, he was pegged to go late in the first round.
Go prove ’em wrong E.J.
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