E. J. Liddell facts for kids
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Liddell with Ohio State in 2022
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| Free agent | |
|---|---|
| Power forward | |
| Personal information | |
| Born | December 18, 2000 Belleville, Illinois, U.S. |
| High school | Belleville West (Belleville, Illinois) |
| Listed height | 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) |
| Listed weight | 240 lb (109 kg) |
| Career information | |
| College | Ohio State (2019–2022) |
| NBA Draft | 2022 / Round: 2 / Pick: 41st overall |
| Selected by the New Orleans Pelicans | |
| Pro career | 2022–present |
| Career history | |
| 2022–2024 | New Orleans Pelicans |
| 2023–2024 | →Birmingham Squadron |
| 2024–2025 | Chicago Bulls |
| 2024–2025 | →Windy City Bulls |
| Career highlights and awards | |
Eric "E. J." Liddell Jr. (born December 18, 2000) is an American professional basketball player. He last played for the Chicago Bulls in the National Basketball Association (NBA). He also played for the Windy City Bulls in the NBA G League on a special contract. Before turning pro, he played college basketball for the Ohio State Buckeyes.
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E. J. Liddell's Early Life and High School Success
E. J. Liddell grew up in Belleville, Illinois. He attended Belleville High School-West. During his junior year, he was a star player. He scored about 20.8 points and grabbed 8.2 rebounds per game.
Liddell won the Illinois Mr. Basketball award in 2018. He also helped his team win the Illinois 4A class state championship. In his senior year, he continued to shine. He averaged 20.2 points, 9.3 rebounds, and 3.8 blocks per game. For the second year in a row, he won Illinois Mr. Basketball. He also led his team to another Illinois 4A class state championship.
Many colleges wanted Liddell to play for them. He was considered one of the best young players in Illinois. On October 1, 2018, Liddell decided to play college basketball for Ohio State.
College Basketball Journey
Liddell started his college career at Ohio State in 2019. In his first year, he often came off the bench. He averaged 6.7 points and 3.8 rebounds per game. He played in all 31 games and was great at blocking shots. He even had a "double-double" (scoring double digits in two stats) in a game against Illinois.
In his second year, Liddell faced a challenge. He got sick with mononucleosis and missed some games. But he bounced back strong. He scored a season-high 26 points in another game against Illinois. That year, he averaged 16.2 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 1.1 blocks per game.
After a tough loss in a tournament game, Liddell received some mean messages online. Ohio State quickly stepped in to help him. They contacted law enforcement to make sure he was safe.
Liddell thought about joining the NBA draft in 2021. But he decided to return to Ohio State for his junior year. This was a great choice! On January 9, 2022, he scored an amazing 34 points in a game against Northwestern. He was named to the First Team All-Big Ten, which is a big honor. As a junior, he averaged 19.4 points, 7.9 rebounds, 2.5 assists, and 2.6 blocks per game. On March 25, 2022, Liddell decided to enter the 2022 NBA draft. He was ready for the next step in his basketball journey.
Professional Basketball Career
Starting with the New Orleans Pelicans
E. J. Liddell was chosen by the New Orleans Pelicans in the second round of the 2022 NBA draft. This was a dream come true for him. However, during an NBA Summer League game on July 11, 2022, he suffered a serious knee injury called a torn ACL. This meant he would need time to recover.
Even with the injury, the Pelicans believed in him. On October 16, 2022, they signed him to a "two-way contract." This type of contract allows a player to play for both an NBA team and its G League team. Liddell spent time with the Pelicans and their G League team, the Birmingham Squadron.
On July 6, 2023, Liddell signed a multi-year deal with the New Orleans Pelicans. This showed they saw a bright future for him.
Moving to the Chicago Bulls
In July 2024, Liddell was part of a big trade. He was traded from the Pelicans to the Atlanta Hawks. Later that month, he was traded again to the Phoenix Suns. However, he was waived by Phoenix in August 2024.
On September 7, 2024, Liddell signed with the Chicago Bulls. This was a chance for him to play for a team closer to his home state of Illinois. On October 19, his contract was changed to a two-way deal. This meant he could play for both the Bulls and their G League team, the Windy City Bulls.
Career Statistics
Here are some of E. J. Liddell's basketball statistics:
NBA Regular Season
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023–24 | New Orleans | 8 | 0 | 2.9 | .167 | .000 | 1.000 | .6 | .1 | .3 | .3 | .5 |
| 2024–25 | Chicago | 12 | 0 | 4.4 | .533 | .300 | 1.000 | .8 | .3 | .1 | .1 | 1.8 |
| Career | 20 | 0 | 3.8 | .429 | .200 | 1.000 | .7 | .2 | .2 | .2 | 1.3 | |
NBA Playoffs
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | New Orleans | 1 | 0 | 2.5 | — | — | — | 1.0 | .0 | .0 | .0 | .0 |
| Career | 1 | 0 | 2.5 | — | — | — | 1.0 | .0 | .0 | .0 | .0 | |
College Statistics
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019–20 | Ohio State | 31 | 0 | 16.6 | .464 | .192 | .718 | 3.8 | .5 | .4 | .9 | 6.7 |
| 2020–21 | Ohio State | 29 | 29 | 29.4 | .474 | .338 | .746 | 6.7 | 1.8 | .7 | 1.1 | 16.2 |
| 2021–22 | Ohio State | 32 | 32 | 33.2 | .490 | .374 | .765 | 7.9 | 2.5 | .6 | 2.6 | 19.4 |
| Career | 92 | 61 | 26.4 | .480 | .341 | .749 | 6.1 | 1.6 | .5 | 1.6 | 14.1 | |
See also
In Spanish: E. J. Liddell para niños
