Ohio State’s E.J. Liddell, Malaki Branham Projected As First-Round 2022 NBA Draft Picks

The last time the Buckeyes had a first-round pick was 2015, when D'Angelo Russell was drafted by the Los Angeles Lakers at No. 2 overall.

The staff at Yahoo Sports released their latest mock draft for the 2022 NBA Draft this week and predicted that a pair of Ohio State players will hear their names called in the first round this summer.

That includes junior forward E.J. Liddell to the Denver Nuggets at No. 20 overall, as well as freshman guard Malaki Branham to the Brooklyn Nets with the 24th pick. The last time the Buckeyes had a first-round pick was the 2015 NBA Draft, when former guard D’Angelo Russell went No. 2 overall to the Los Angeles Lakers.

🏀 NBA MOCK DRAFT 🏀

Auburn's Jabari Smith rises to No. 1, but the top three continues to shuffle as March Madness approaches 👀

From @krystenpeek ⤵️

— Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) February 21, 2022

A former four-star prospect from Belleville, Ill., Liddell is averaging 19.5 points, 7.6 rebounds and 2.8 assists in 24 games this season. He was recently named to both the Karl Malone Award watch list and Naismith Trophy midseason team as the nation’s best power forward and overall player, respectively.

“The year he’s had has been phenomenal and he’s getting better at leading on (the defensive) end,” head coach Chris Holtmann said following the win over Michigan on Feb. 12. “The year is not over and he has to keep working, but E.J. Liddell is deserving to be in the conversation of player of the year in this league as long as we keep doing well.”

Branham, meanwhile, is averaging 11.8 points, 3.8 rebounds and 1.8 assists in 24 games this season, but includes recent outbursts of a team-high 22 points in Saturday’s loss to Iowa and 27 points in Monday’s overtime win over Indiana. Thus, the former four-star prospect from Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary has put himself in contention for Big Ten freshman of the year honors.

“We’ve asked him to do a lot more than we did earlier in the year, and he’s responded at times when he’s struggled,” Holtmann said following the win over the Hoosiers. “I think we’re going to continue to have those kinds of moments from him. He’s not going to be this every night. It’s too much to expect from a kid, but he’s been phenomenal.”

The 2022 NBA Draft is scheduled for June 23. Underclassmen have until April 24 to declare for the draft and June 13 to withdraw their name from consideration.

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