Pelicans Rookie E.J. Liddell Suffers Torn ACL in Summer League

The first-year pro from Ohio State injured his knee in Monday’s game against Hawks.

Pelicans forward E.J. Liddell has suffered a torn ACL in his right knee, the team announced Tuesday.

Liddell, a 21-year-old rookie from Ohio State, injured the knee during Monday’s Summer League game against the Hawks in Las Vegas. He is out indefinitely.

Liddell was projected by many observers as a first-round talent, but he slipped to the Pelicans in the second round (No. 41 overall) of last month’s NBA draft.

Last season, he earned first-team All-Big Ten honors and was named third-team All-America by The Associated Press. He averaged 19.4 points and 7.9 rebounds per game in 2021–22 for the Buckeyes. In three seasons at Ohio State, Liddell averaged 14.1 points and 6.1 rebounds per game.

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