Early Saturday afternoon, Ohio State star E.J. Liddell announced he will be returning to Columbus for his junior season.

A big reason for that decision, he told ESPN, is his ability to profit from his name, image and likeness. NCAA athletes can now do so after new NIL laws went into effect on July 1.

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“That changes the game really,” Liddell told ESPN’s Jonathan Givony. “It’s good that I could be making money. That should have been happening for a long time. The coaches are telling me that being the face of this team and one of the most publicized guys in the conference, I could make a really good profit off that. How much, I’m not sure yet. I haven’t looked into that enough yet.”

Players have already begun to take advantage of their new-found profitability. Some have inked endorsement deals while others have found revenue streams by joining Cameo.

Liddell figures to be one of the premier stars in all of college basketball next season. As a sophomore with the Buckeyes, he averaged 16.2 points per game and also improved as a passer toward the end of the season.

His goal of getting to the NBA — and staying there — is still at the front of his mind, he told ESPN.

“This was a pretty difficult decision,” Liddell told Givony. “No one in my family has ever been this close to getting to a professional league. After many conversations with my parents and coaches, I understood that returning was the best thing for me. Anyone can get signed to play in the NBA. I absolutely could have gotten a contract. But it’s not about getting in the NBA, it’s about staying in for the long-term.”