Last year, the only Buckeye to participate in the NBA Draft Combine had to earn a last-minute invite through the G League Elite Camp. And even then, Duane Washington Jr. did not ultimately hear his name called during the draft itself.
This year, so assured is the first-round status of both Malaki Branham and E.J. Liddell that neither former Ohio State player even partook in five-on-five scrimmages at the combine in Chicago over the past couple days. Still, the scarlet and gray stars went through measurements and athletic testing, conducted interviews with a number of NBA teams and also spoke with members of the media.