Rookie E.J. Liddell suffered a torn ACL during the Pelicans’ Summer League matchup against the Hawks on Monday.
New Orleans Pelicans rookie E.J. Liddell has suffered a torn ACL in his right knee, the team announced following an MRI on Tuesday. He will be out indefinitely.
The injury to the 6-foot-6 forward from Ohio State occurred in the third quarter of a Summer League game in Las Vegas on Monday night against the Atlanta Hawks, which the Pelicans won 101-73. Liddell recorded six points, four rebounds and two assists before exiting the game in the third quarter.
Injury Update: E.J. Liddell will be out indefinitely after suffering a torn ACL in his right knee.
An MRI done last night confirmed the injury, which occurred during the third quarter of yesterday’s Summer League game against the Atlanta Hawks. pic.twitter.com/fSU4Cxqj8v
— New Orleans Pelicans (@PelicansNBA) July 12, 2022
The Pelicans drafted Liddell with the No. 41 pick in the 2022 NBA Draft last month. The former Ohio State standout averaged 19.4 points, 7.9 rebounds, 2.5 assists, and 2.6 blocks over 33.2 minutes per game in his junior season, helping the Buckeyes reach the NCAA Tournament while earning multiple All-American third team honors.
It wasn’t clear if he was going to make the Pelicans’ regular-season roster because the club already had 15 players under contract for next season. But Liddell could have been a two-way player, also spending time with the Pelicans’ G League affiliate in Birmingham.
The Pelicans said a date for surgery had not yet been determined.
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.
