Former Ohio State forward E.J. Liddell has earned a new NBA contract, inking a three-year, $6.2 million deal with the New Orleans Pelicans. The contract, first reported by Senior NBA Insider Shams Charania, includes a team option in the third season.
Liddell, who was drafted by the Pelicans with the No. 41 overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft, previously signed to a two-way contract with the franchise on Oct. 16.
The deal was finalized just three months after the 6-foot-7 forward suffered a torn ACL in his right knee during an NBA Summer League game last July, an injury that required him to miss the entire 2022-23 season.
Since undergoing reconstructive surgery to repair torn ligaments in his knee on July 25, Liddell has endured an almost year-long rehabilitation process. This month, however, the Pelicans forward is expected to return to action, as he was added to the team’s 2023 Summer League roster.
Before his injury-riddled rookie season, Liddell experienced a highly successful career at Ohio State.
Playing 92 games for the Buckeyes from 2019-2021, the Bellville, Illinois native racked up 14.1 points and 6.1 rebounds per game. He also accumulated some hardware while donning the scarlet and gray, earning two first team All-Big Ten selections (2021 and 2022), a consensus third team All-American honor (2022) and a Big Ten All-Defensive Team nod (2022).
With Thursday’s agreement, Liddell now becomes the third former Buckeye to earn a new deal with an NBA franchise this past week. On Friday, former Ohio State forward Keita Bates-Diop inked a two-year, $5 million deal with the Phoenix Suns. One day later, former one-and-done guard D’Angelo Russell earned a new contract of his own, signing a two-year, $37 million contract to stay with the Los Angeles Lakers.
