Malaki Branham facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Malaki Branham

Branham with Ohio State in 2022
Washington Wizards
Shooting guard
Personal information
Born	(2003-05-12) May 12, 2003 (age 22) Columbus, Ohio, U.S.
High school	St. Vincent–St. Mary (Akron, Ohio)
Listed height	6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)
Listed weight	180 lb (82 kg)
Career information
College	Ohio State (2021–2022)
NBA Draft	2022 / Round: 1 / Pick: 20th overall
Selected by the San Antonio Spurs
Pro career	2022–present
League	NBA
Career history
2022–2025	San Antonio Spurs
2022	→Austin Spurs
2025–present	Washington Wizards
Career highlights and awards
Big Ten Freshman of the Year (2022) Big Ten All-Freshman Team (2022) Third-team All-Big Ten (2022) Jordan Brand Classic (2021) Ohio Mr. Basketball (2021)

Malaki Lamar Branham (born May 12, 2003) is an American professional basketball player. He currently plays for the Washington Wizards in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Before joining the NBA, he played college basketball for the Ohio State Buckeyes.

Malaki Branham's Journey in Basketball

Early Days and High School Success

Malaki Branham grew up in Columbus, Ohio. He started training in basketball from 5th grade. His coach, Jason Dawson, helped him develop his skills. Later, Malaki moved to Akron, Ohio for high school. He attended St. Vincent–St. Mary High School.

During his time there, Malaki helped his team win two state championships. These big wins happened in 2018 and 2021. He was also recognized as one of the best players in Ohio. He earned first-team All-Ohio honors in both his junior and senior years.

In his senior year, Malaki had amazing stats. He scored an average of 21.3 points per game. He also grabbed 5.1 rebounds and made 2.7 assists per game. He was named Ohio Mr. Basketball, which is a top award for high school players in Ohio. He was also chosen for the Jordan Brand Classic. This is a special game for top high school players. However, the game was not played that year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Malaki was a highly sought-after player by colleges. Many experts considered him one of the best young players. On July 22, 2020, he decided to play college basketball for Ohio State. He chose Ohio State over other big schools like Alabama and Baylor.

College Basketball Career

Malaki Branham began his college career at Ohio State. He started as a player coming off the bench. But he quickly showed how good he was. Soon, he became a regular starter for the team.

He had a fantastic game against Nebraska. He scored a career-high 35 points in that game. This happened after the team had a break due to COVID. In February, he had a streak of high-scoring games. He scored 22, 27, and 31 points in three different games.

As a freshman, Malaki averaged 13.7 points per game. He also had 3.6 rebounds and two assists per game. His great performance earned him some big awards. He was named Big Ten Freshman of the Year. He also made the Third Team All-Big Ten.

On April 1, 2022, Malaki decided to enter the 2022 NBA draft. This meant he was ready to try for a professional career. He later signed with a sports agent. This made him officially ready for the NBA draft. Many thought he would be one of the first players chosen in the draft.

Joining the NBA

Playing for the San Antonio Spurs

Malaki Branham was picked by the San Antonio Spurs in the 2022 NBA draft. He was the 20th player chosen overall. After being drafted, Malaki joined the Spurs' 2022 NBA Summer League team. This is where new players get to show their skills. In his first Summer League game, he scored fifteen points.

On July 8, 2022, Malaki signed his first professional contract with the Spurs. This was a "rookie-scale contract," which is a standard agreement for new players. He played for the San Antonio Spurs from 2022 until 2025.

Moving to the Washington Wizards

On July 9, 2025, Malaki Branham was traded to the Washington Wizards. He is now a player for the Wizards.

Career Stats

Here are Malaki Branham's basketball statistics from his time in the NBA and college.

NBA

College

See also

In Spanish: Malaki Branham para niños