Ohio State Forward E.J. Liddell On National Ballot For Wooden Award

Liddell is looking become just the second player in school history to win the award, joining Evan Turner in 2009-10.

Author:
Andrew Lind
Mar 5, 2022 1:26 PM EST

Ohio State junior forward E.J. Liddell was among the 15 players named on Saturday to the national ballot for the Wooden Award, which is given annually to the most outstanding player in college basketball.

A former four-star prospect from Belleville, Ill., Liddell is averaging 19.5 points, 7.8 rebounds and 2.6 assists for the Buckeyes this season. He’s looking to become just the third player in the last 30 years to average those figures over the course of a season, joining Wake Forest’s Tim Duncan in 1996-97 and Rider’s Jason Thompson in 2007-08.

Liddell recently became the 33rd player in Ohio State history to score 1,000 points and pull down 500 career rebounds. He’s widely projected to be a first-round pick in this summer’s NBA Draft and will play his final game at Value City Arena this Sunday when the Buckeyes host Michigan (12:30 p.m. on FOX).

“It’s been the kind of season you hope someone would have when they decide to return to school,” head coach Chris Holtmann during his media availability this afternoon. “It doesn’t always work out like that. You don’t always improve your positioning or stock in the eyes of NBA people by coming back. It’s happened with him, and it’s a credit to his work and his buy-in to what we’ve been challenging him with.

“Almost every game of his game has improved, and that's what you hope when a guy decides he's going to return. I think that’s a byproduct of E.J. being E.J. and it’s a byproduct of him being bought in to our team and being successful, so I’m really happy for him.”

Other players on the ballot include Auburn’s Walker Kessler and Jabari Smith, Arizona’s Bennedict Mathurin, Duke’s Paolo Banchero, Gonzaga’s Chet Holmgren and Drew Timme, Illinois’ Kofi Cockburn, Iowa’s Keegan Murray, Kansas’ Ochai Agbaji, Kentucky’s Oscar Tshiebwe, Purdue’s Jaden Ivey, UCLA’s Johnny Juzang, Villanova’s Collin Gillespie and Wisconsin’s Johnny Davis.

Liddell is looking to become the second player in school history to win the award, which is named after legendary UCLA head coach John Wooden, joining former guard/forward Evan Turner in 2009-10.

Candidates must exhibit strength of character both on and off the court, must be making progress toward graduation, must have a 2.0 grade point average and must excellent on both the offensive and defensive side of the ball.

Voters have until March 21 to rank their top 10, with five finalists being named on March 30. The winner will then be announced at the conclusion of the NCAA Tournament in April.

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