Ohio State Forward E.J. Liddell Named To Preseason All-Big Ten Team

The junior was one of just five unanimous selections on the preseason team.

Author:
Andrew Lind
Oct 27, 2021 12:37 PM EDT

Ohio State junior forward E.J. Liddell was one of 11 players named on Wednesday to the preseason All-Big Ten team.

A former four-star prospect from Belleville, Ill., Liddell was named first-team all-conference last season after he averaged 16.2 points and 6.7 rebounds per game. He also led the Buckeyes, who fell in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, in blocks (31) and free throws made (126) and attempts (169).

Additionally, Liddell was named to the Big Ten’s all-tournament team and was among the final 15 candidates for the Wooden Award, which is given annually to college basketball’s best player. He declared for the draft after last season but opted to return to school after going through the pre-draft process.

Liddell was joined on the preseason All-Big Ten team by Illinois’ Kofi Cockburn and Andre Curbelo; Indiana’s Trayce Jackson-Davis; Iowa’s Keegan Murray; Maryland’s Eric Ayala; Michigan’s Hunter Dickinson and Caleb Houstan; Purdue’s Jaden Ivey and Trevion Williams; and Rutgers’ Ron Harper Jr. He was one of five unanimous selections, along with Cockburn, Jackson-Davis, Dickinson and Ivey.