Despite injury, NBA’s Pelicans make good on contract to Belleville’s Liddell

The New Orleans Pelicans announced the signing of their draft pick E.J. Liddell to a two-way contract.

The former Belleville West Maroon, two-time Illinois Mr. Basketball, and Ohio State Buckeye was the Pelicans’ No. 41 overall pick in the second round of the 2022 NBA Draft.

The forward tore the ACL in his right knee while playing against the Atlanta Hawks in the third quarter of a Summer League game on July 11. At Ohio State, Liddell was durable in this three-year collegiate career by playing 92 of 94 games in Columbus.

Liddell’s two-way contract will help the Pelicans keep and evaluate the talented 6-6 player. In his junior season at OSU, he averaged 19.4 points, 7.9 rebounds, 2.5 assists, and 2.6 blocks per game. He led Ohio State in scoring, rebounding, and blocks that season.

Liddell, 20, finished his high school basketball career as a top 50 recruit according to ESPN’s high school basketball rankings in 2019. He won Illinois Mr. Basketball in consecutive years as well, the first player since Jabari Parker to accomplish that feat in 2011 and 2012.

Liddell’s sensational high school career led him to receive multiple scholarships from NCAA Division I schools, including Ohio State, Illinois and Missouri.

He earned All-Big Ten First-Team his sophomore and junior year. His No. 1 ranking in blocks for the Big Ten got him a spot on the All-Defense First-Team Big Ten as a junior.

As far as the NBA goes, some scouts saw Liddell fitting into any team as a undersized forward who does the dirty work while hitting 3-point baskets. Some projected him going to the Chicago Bulls as the 18th overall pick in this year’s draft.

Liddell has been compared to Grant Williams, Draymond Green, PJ Tucker and former NBA champion Antoine Walker. All have been key pieces in getting their teams to the NBA Finals the past 20 seasons.

This story was originally published October 17, 2022 at 11:55 AM.