Ohio State’s E.J. Liddell will be hiring an agent and entering the 2022 NBA Draft, the junior announced (via Twitter). He’s currently No. 18 on ESPN’s top 100 prospects list.
The 6’7″ forward averaged 19.4 points, 7.9 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 2.6 blocks on .490/.374/.765 shooting this season for the Buckeyes (32 games, 33.2 minutes per contest). He helped lead OSU to a 20-12 record and a No. 7 seed in the NCAA tournament, where they were toppled in the second round by Villanova.
Liddell tested the draft waters last season after a breakout sophomore campaign, but ultimately decided to go back to school. The decision paid off, as he improved his numbers in nearly every statistical category and boosted his draft stock in the process — he could be a first-round pick this time around.
In his latest big board for The Ringer, Kevin O’Connor states that Lidell went back to school to improve his shooting and perimeter defense, and succeeded on both counts. He’s strong at 240 pounds and is able to switch across multiple positions defensively.
On offense, Lidell is a skilled post player, good passer, and solid spot-up shooter, but needs to improve his ball-handling and decision-making for the NBA, according to O’Connor.
Quick fix: OSU was a 7 seed who beat #10 Loyola-Chicago in the first round…
Fixed, thanks.
Might be a good candidate for the Bulls 1st pick. Would be a decent compliment to Patrick Williams. At 6’7″ and from the Big Ten he’s used to guarding and banging with bigger players. Put some muscle on him and you might have something special. If some of the mock drafts I’ve seen are accurate, Kofi Cockburn doesn’t get drafted, The Bulls could steal him for nothing and he rejoins Ayo and stays in Illinois, The Bulls could get muscle and a PF for basically nothing.
Bulls don’t have first round pick this year i don’t think
They actually do have their own this year. I think it’s next year they don’t have their own pick
Alpha is correct. But the Bulls should get Portland’s first next year from the Markannen deal.