Malaki Branham, E.J. Liddell on the verge of a rare accomplishment for Ohio State basketball as two first-round NBA Draft picks

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Greg Oden, Michael Conley and Daequan Cook arrived at Ohio State as highly-rated recruits in 2006, capable of having an immediate impact on a basketball program.

The three spent the 2006-07 season living up to the hype. Oden was among the nation’s best centers, averaging 15.7 points, 9.6 rebounds and 3.3 blocks. Conley averaged 11.3 points, 6.1 assists and 2.2 steals. Cook averaged 9.8 points and 4.3 rebounds as the sixth man.

Together the freshman trio led the Buckeyes to a 35-4 record, losing just one game in Big Ten play as they reached the National Championship game before being knocked off by Florida. All three entered the 2007 draft.

Oden came to college as a surefire NBA Draft pick and used his only season to solidify himself as the top pick. Conley was viewed more as a two-year player at best but quickly turned himself into the fourth pick. He’s gone on to have a quality career with the Memphis Grizzlies and Utah Jazz while injuries derailed Oden’s career.

Cook had six seasons in the NBA as the 21st pick, spending time with the Miami Heat, Oklahoma City Thunder, Houston Rockets and Chicago Bulls.

That was the last time Ohio State had multiple first-round picks in the same year.

Eight other former Buckeyes have been drafted since that freshman class did so, with five being first-round picks. D’Angelo Russell and Evan Turner have had the best careers of that group as the second pick in their respective draft classes, while others had shorter careers.

But the OSU-to-NBA pipeline hasn’t necessarily been strong. E.J. Liddell and Malaki Branham have a chance to change that.

Liddell put off the NBA, returning for a third season in Columbus, where he blossomed into an All-American. He averaged a team-high 19.4 points, 7.9 rebounds and 2.6 blocks.

Branham arrived as a highly rated recruit expected to develop into a high-level second option and did just that, averaging 13.7 points while shooting 49.8% from the field and 41.6% from three-point range. Just like with Conley and Russell, he’s gone from a guy most thought might need two years to a one-and-done who might be a top 10 pick.

Oden, Conley and Cook provided coach Thad Matta with his first-ever first-round NBA Draft picks, and what followed was a successful run of recruiting classes and on-court success. Liddell and Branham can serve as the same for Chris Holtmann, who is still looking to take that next step as the program’s head coach.

A decade had passed between first-round picks at Ohio State before that 2007 draft. Ending that drought in a loud fashion allowed the program to flourish.

Maybe NBA Draft 2022 will be remembered as the night Ohio State had multiple first-rounders once again.