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Ohio State junior forward E.J. Liddell (32) and freshman guard Malaki Branham (22) high-five during the Ohio State-Akron Game Nov. 9, 2021. Ohio State won 67-66. Photo Credit: Mackenzie Shanklin | Lantern File photo

Although it might be difficult to follow Duane Washington Jr. setting a rookie franchise 3-point record for the Indiana Pacers, E.J. Liddell and Malaki Branham could very well be the next great NBA players from Ohio State.

In the past 15 years, there have only been two Buckeyes who became All-Stars after they were chosen in the NBA draft: Minnesota Timberwolves guard D’Angelo Russell and Utah Jazz guard Mike Conley Jr. Other Buckeyes who found success in the NBA include undrafted free agent and Houston Rockets forward Jae’Sean Tate and San Antonio Spurs forward Keita Bates-Diop, who was picked in the second round of the 2018 draft.

Liddell and Branham have risen up mock drafts since the end of last season, and their individual stocks only increased after Ohio State’s short NCAA Tournament run. In Jonathan Givony’s latest ESPN mock draft Wednesday, Branham is projected to go No. 18 to the Chicago Bulls and Liddell No. 24 to the Milwaukee Bucks.

After a slow start to the season, Branham averaged 20.2 points on 56.6 percent shooting through the last 10 games. Branham was named Big Ten Freshman of the Year after starting 31 of 32 games; perhaps the most dominant parts of his game were his mid-range pull-up jumper and ability to explode to the rim.

After an 86-83 win over Illinois Feb. 24, Fighting Illini head coach Brad Underwood had high praise for Branham.

“In my opinion, [Ohio State’s] got the best player in the league, and his name isn’t Liddell, and that’s no offense because he’s terrific,” Underwood said. “Malaki Branham is terrific — big, strong, physical.”

However, the 6-foot-5 Branham weighs only 180 pounds, which is undersized for a likely NBA shooting guard. While he is an above-average defender, he will need to put on more muscle to effectively use his post moves, as well as guard more average-sized guards in the league.

Branham’s offense overall is not really a concern — in fact, he had 50-40-80 numbers this season. It seemed that Branham would not be a primary scorer for the Buckeyes after starting the season slowly on offense; his first game scoring in double-digits came eight games in at Penn State Dec. 5. But it was only the Jan. 2 game at Nebraska that got Branham’s name out there when he erupted for 35 points on 68.4 percent shooting.

Branham has a decent height for a two-guard so perhaps he won’t handle the ball much, but if he does assume duties as a primary ball handler for a team, he will surely need to tighten his handles.

Liddell seemingly never slowed down on either side of the ball all season. On the offensive end, he reached double-digits in every game, finishing top-35 in points per game in Division I. On defense, Liddell was the only Power 5 player under 6-foot-10 to finish in the top-25 in blocks per game.

In addition, the Belleville, Illinois, native ranked top-10 in points, rebounds and blocks in the Big Ten.

After sophomore guard Jaden Ivey made a buzzer-beater to help Purdue defeat the Buckeyes Jan. 30, Boilermakers head coach Matt Painter said Liddell’s overall game will make him a great professional player.

“I think he’s going to have a long NBA career,” Painter said. “Anybody that can shoot, that can move that way, that has that kind of frame, those guys are tough matchups in any league.”

Liddell’s solid all-around game may have passed in college, but he will likely need to develop into more of a shooter at the professional level. Last season, Liddell used his size to dominate inside, turning to his go-to post fade, substantially elevating over defenders. He shot 49 percent from the field, but less than 38 percent from three.

It will take time for Liddell to adjust, but he is a prime size for a small forward in the league. Listed at 6-foot-7, 240 pounds, Liddell can quickly be a dominant force on both ends of the ball. For reference, Los Angeles Lakers small forward LeBron James is listed at 6-foot-9, 250 pounds and Boston Celtics small forward Jayson Tatum is listed at 6-foot-8, 210 pounds.

Liddell has shown his ability to guard all five positions, rounded out with being named to the All-Big Ten Defensive Team. In addition, Liddell’s help defense was emphasized by his league-leading 2.6 blocks per game, as well as his ability to clog the paint when guards would drive or bigs would post up.

Following the Buckeyes’ second round exit in the NCAA Tournament March 20, former Villanova head coach Jay Wright said Liddell is a valuable player to his team, calling him a “rare breed.”

“Everyone says, ‘This guy’s a pro, that guy’s a pro’ — this guy is a pro,” Wright said. “He’s a shot-blocker, too, and the leading rebounder. He’s just a basketball player.”

While Liddell and Branham showed promise and grit as Buckeyes, they will truly be tested at the next level.

Both Branham and Liddell will learn where they will begin their professional careers during the NBA draft Thursday at 8 p.m. on ABC.