EJ Liddell thanks the Pelicans for their confidence

A year after his rupture of a cruciate ligament in his right knee, synonymous with the season rookie white, EJ Liddell can finally look to the future and turn this unfortunate setback into ancient history.

Injured when he still had not signed his contract rookiethe strong winger trained at Ohio State has never been let go by the Pelicanswho offered him one of their “two-way contracts” to keep him warm while he recovered before, once this recovery was completed, signing him for three seasons with a standard contract.

All in all, it was an emotionally charged first year in the pros for the Illinois native, who looks back on how far he’s come and relishes the benevolence of his club along the way.

” When I walked on the spot on the pitch where I was injured last year, I thought back to everything I’ve been through this past year. I thought to myself that I had finally made it. At first, my sensations were strange, then everything quickly returned to normal », he explains, before detailing his state of mind during his recovery. ” The confidence of the Pelicans touched me a lot. So I wanted to give them back that trust by respecting my schedule. From the most insignificant detail to the most important, I learned to appreciate the challenges I faced, to use them as motivation daily. But having the whole club supporting me made this period more joyful. »

Larry Nance Jr, an injured veteran as a mentor

Unavailable on the courts, EJ Liddell has therefore mainly created links with his teammates during moments away from the boards, in the locker room or in training. In particular with Larry Nance Jr, also victim, in February 2014 when he was still in NCAA with Wyoming, of a rupture of a cruciate ligament.

” Larry suffered the same injury, so we talked a lot about it, about the efforts needed to come back from it. I learned a lot from him throughout the year. It’s hard to quantify in words how precious he was to me “, adds the 22-year-old player. ” It always brings positive energy. »

For those who have known him for a year, EJ Liddell does not only share a destiny similar to that of Larry Nance Jr: he also recalls the interior experienced by his player profile.

” He is in the same mold as Larry, a fluid interior, who makes quick decisions. “, noted indeed Casey Hill, coach of the Pelicans in the Summer League. ” He can play at position 4 or position 5, and defend several positions. Apart from Larry, we don’t really have that kind of profile in our team. »