Pelicans Introduce Rookies Dyson Daniels And E.J. Liddell
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The New Orleans Pelicans had General Manager Trajan Langdon and Head Coach Willie Green introduce two of their 2022 NBA Draft picks on July 30. Karlo Matkovic will get a proper introduction next week before heading back to Europe. Dyson Daniels, the 8th overall pick, and E.J. Liddell selected 42nd overall, will stick around after Summer League. Both fully accepted the challenges that come with being rookies trying to win minutes on a playoff team.
Langdon and Green expressed their “excitement” to get these rookies in the building multiple times. Green is anxious to “Get them here and hopefully they have 10-15 year careers with us…They are high character guys to get in our program.” Langdon feels it is nice to have a team “full of playmakers” for both themselves and others.
Daniels said on his second day in the building, he was loving the environment within the team from the staff to the guys welcoming him on the court. “There’s no better place to be than right here, right now,” the 19-year-old explained, adding he planned on leaning on his defense to earn minutes.
The G-League alum believes he can learn to play any of the wing positions and feels comfortable switching on everyone but big men. He wants to "earn minutes playing different roles on this team'' in training camp. The Australian did admit New Orleans fans made fun of a recent Chipotle visit and sent him lists of restaurants that 'had him “scrolling for a good minute.”
Liddell has “that dog mentality," and it matches the attitude seen in the practice gym. The Ohio State product did have to take a joke from Coach Green when introduced but plans to focus on his role and knock down his shots for the Pelicans going forward. However, he will probably still hear about coach Green’s Michigan roots a few more times during training camp.
For those fans wanting new jerseys, Daniels will sport number 11 while Liddell has chosen 32. They will take the court for the first time in a Pelicans uniform during the NBA's Summer League. The schedule has been released and the rookies will be joined by several playoff veterans.
The introductory press conference told a lot about what was already known. Daniels and Liddell are high-character individuals who happen to be great basketball players. The team should learn a lot more about how their new draftees will handle being a Pelican in just a few weeks.
Read More Pelicans News:
- Pelicans Select Dyson Daniels 8th in 2022 NBA Draft
- New Orleans Spends 42nd Pick On E.J. Liddell
- What Can the Pelicans Expect from E.J. Liddell?
- Pelicans Draft And Stash Karlo Matkovic With 52nd Pick
- Dyson Daniels Ready For Complementary Role With Pelicans
- Pelicans Monitoring Jose Alvarado's Offseason Progress
- Pelicans Executives Detail Negotiations With Bally Sports
- Pelicans Announce New Deal With Bally Sports Sinclair
- Pelicans Will Pay For Zion Williamson’s Elite Versatility
