Malaki Branham will remain in NBA Draft, leaves Ohio State after one season
COLUMBUS — Ohio State knew it was losing one of its superstars to the NBA after last season. The other one had a huge decision to make.
The choice has been made: Malaki Branham will stay in the NBA Draft, ending his college career after one special season with the Buckeyes
Branham announced the news on Wednesday in a brief press conference at the Schottenstein Center, a predictable decision for the Big Ten Freshman of the Year and projected first-round pick in the upcoming NBA Draft.
Branham had a massive decision to make this offseason: Become the face of the Ohio State hoops program next year after E.J. Liddell had already made the choice to head to the NBA — or remain in the draft process and forego his college eligibility.
Branham’s rise last season at Ohio State wasn’t instant, but he certainly got better down the stretch of the season, slowly becoming a superstar as the year went on. Following a breakout 35-point game in a win over Nebraska in January, Branham began to explode as a nationally-known name. The four-star recruit from St. Vincent-St. Mary High School in Akron averaged 13.7 points per game last season, including two 30-plus-point games and 23 in the second-round loss to Villanova in the Big Dance.
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Before he got to the offseason, Branham made sure the focus remained on basketball — not his decision to stay or go to the NBA.
“I haven’t [thought about it],” Branham said before the NCAA Tournament. “I’m thinking about winning. [I’ll worry about it] when the season is over, whenever that is, hopefully it’s the first week of April.
“I’m not thinking about that right now.”
Ohio State didn’t make it far in the tournament. And Branham did ultimately make the decision to test the NBA draft waters. After doing so for nearly a month, Malaki Branham is going to go through with it all and make the leap to the league after just one season with Ohio State.
The Buckeyes will need to officially replace both of their superstars this offseason.
