The NBA draft is approaching and the Milwaukee Bucks hold the 24th pick in the draft. It remains a mystery whether they will keep the pick or trade it, but if they do decide to keep it, E.J. Liddell from Ohio State is definitely a player they will be considering in that range. Here is a look at what Liddell brings to the table and how well he fits with the Bucks.
E.J. Liddell
- Position: Forward
- College: Ohio State
- Height: 6’7″
- Weight: 240 lbs
- Stats: 19.4 points, 7.9 rebounds, 2.5 assists
- 49 percent from the field, 37 percent from three, 77 percent from the line
Milwaukee Bucks Draft Scouting Report: E.J. Liddell – Strengths
Defense
E.J. Liddell is a very good and versatile defender with his size and strength. He is a great help defender who can block shots and be a rim protector (2.6 blocks per game), and he also can defend on the perimeter. He truly is capable of guarding any position. Paolo Banchero had just 14 points on 4-for-14 shooting against Ohio State this past season, and Kofi Cockburn scored just 12 points on 5-for-15 shooting in his game against Liddell and Ohio State. Liddell should be someone who can come in and provide great defense for an NBA team right away.
Shooting
Another strength for Liddell is his shooting from distance, finishing the season at 37.4 percent from three. He is particularly good spotting up, as he shot 44 percent on spot up catch-and-shoot threes last season and ranked in the 89th percentile, per Synergy. It’s a good sign that he can make them when contested, too, as he made 40 percent of his guarded catch-and-shoot looks. There is also definitely potential for him as an iso scorer off the dribble, as he shot a nice 43 percent on jumpers off the dribble. Liddell should be a good spot up shooter in the NBA, and he may be able to blossom into even more than that.
Post Scoring
In addition to his perimeter shooting, Liddell can also score well out of the post. He shot 50 percent on all shots out of the post and uses his strength well. He can score out of the post in a variety of ways, whether it be backing defenders down with his strength or facing up and hitting jumpers over them. He has also shown flashes of being able to find teammates with passes out of the post.