Former Ohio State guard Malaki Branham was selected by the San Antonio Spurs with the No. 20 overall pick in the first round of of Thursday night's NBA Draft.
A former four-star prospect from Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary, Branham averaged 13.7 points, 3.6 rebounds and 2.0 assists while shooting 49.8 percent from the field and 41.6 percent from the three-point line in 32 games for the Buckeyes this season.
That includes a pair of 30-point outings in wins at Nebraska (35) and Illinois (31), making him the only power conference freshman to top that mark twice this season. He’s also the only freshman in school history to score 30-plus points in multiple road games.
While Ohio State struggled down the stretch due to injuries and fatigue, Branham took his game to another level. He averaged 20.2 points on 56.6 percent shooting in the final 10 games of the season, including a team-high 23 points in a loss to Villanova in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
The 6-foot-5 and 180-pound Branham was subsequently named the Big Ten Freshman of the Year and a third-time all-conference performer by the coaches and media. He was just the eighth freshman in school history to win the award.
Branham now becomes the first Buckeye to be drafted since former forward Keita Bates-Diop went No. 48 overall to the Minnesota Timberwolves in 2018. He's also Ohio State’s first lottery pick since former guard D'Angelo Russell, who was the No. 2 overall pick of the Los Angeles Lakers in 2015.
Be sure to check out our new message boards, Buckeye Forums. We'd love to have you part of the conversation during the season.
More must-reads: