Ohio State's E.J. Liddell is picked by New Orleans in NBA draft.

The Buckeye forward was selected with the 41st overall pick in the 2022 NBA draft by the New Orleans Pelicans, joining Malaki Branham as two Ohio State players were drafted in the same year for the first time since 2007.

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Liddell finished his Ohio State career with 92 game appearances and 61 starts, averaging 14.1 points and 6.1 boards across his three years in the program.

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During the 2021-22 season, Liddell posted double-digit scoring figures in every game and became the 60th player to score at least 1,000 points for Ohio State. Liddell closed his career with a total of 1,298 points in a Buckeye uniform, which puts him behind just 31 players in program history.

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“I’ve been proving people wrong my whole, entire life so this isn’t anything new,” Liddell said, still wiping tears from his eyes a few moments later. “I’m gonna keep doing that until the day I’m gone. I’m happy they took a chance on me and I appreciate them for the opportunity.”

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Liddell is the first Ohio State player ever drafted by the Pelicans.

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