Buckeyes guard Malaki Branham declares for NBA Draft, open to return
COLUMBUS — Malaki Branham became one of the Big Ten’s best players during his freshman season at Ohio State.
After just one year, the dominant scoring guard is testing the NBA draft waters. Branham will enter his name into the NBA draft — with a huge caveat for the Buckeyes. He is maintaining his eligibility, keeping the door open for a potential return to the Ohio State hoops program for a second season.
Branham has been projected as a potential first-round pick in mock drafts since the Buckeyes season ended two weekends ago in the NCAA Tournament.
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 this season, including two 30-plus-point games and 23 in the second-round loss to Villanova in the Big Dance.
He took everyone inside the Buckeyes program by surprise with how good he was early in his collegiate career.
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“I don’t think he ever anticipated a game of that number – 35 points is unprecedented, really, by a freshman. But it’s unprecedented by anybody” Ohio State coach Chris Holtmann said after the Nebraska game. “I think for people to somehow expect that this is going to be a regular occurrence then they have not watched college basketball enough.
“The young man had a tremendous game. But he’s going to have other moments where he struggles, just like every other college kid, much less a freshman. But he certainly provided a great lift for us.”
Branham, the Big Ten Freshman of the Year, has a chance to return to the lineup and lead the Buckeyes next season as a true go-to scorer for Chris Holtmann. But he also has a big chance to wow NBA scouts and become a first-round selection in the draft later this summer.
Branham will at least test those NBA draft waters. He will go through with the draft process. But he’s keeping the door open for a chance to return at Ohio State.
