Malaki Branham facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Malaki Branham

Branham with Ohio State in 2022
No. 22 – San Antonio Spurs
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–present	San Antonio Spurs
2022	→Austin Spurs
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 a talented American professional basketball player. He currently plays for the San Antonio Spurs in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Before joining the NBA, he played college basketball for the Ohio State Buckeyes.

Early Life and High School Success

Malaki Branham grew up in Columbus, Ohio. He started training in basketball when he was in 5th grade. Later, he moved to Akron, Ohio and went to St. Vincent–St. Mary High School. This is a famous school known for its strong basketball program.

While in high school, Malaki helped his team win two state championships in 2018 and 2021. He was recognized as one of the best players. He was named first team All-Ohio in both his junior and senior years.

Senior Year Highlights

In his senior year, Malaki had impressive stats. He averaged 21.3 points, 5.1 rebounds, 2.7 assists, and 1.8 steals per game. Because of his great performance, he was named Ohio Mr. Basketball. This award goes to the best high school basketball player in Ohio. He was also chosen for the Jordan Brand Classic, a special game for top high school players. However, this game was not played due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Malaki was considered a top player by many experts. He was ranked as the best player in Ohio for his age group. On July 22, 2020, Malaki decided to play college basketball for Ohio State. He chose Ohio State over offers from other big teams like Alabama and Baylor.

College Career at Ohio State

Malaki Branham began his college career playing off the bench. But he quickly showed how good he was and became a regular starter. He had an amazing game where he scored a career-high 35 points. This happened in an 87–79 overtime win against Nebraska. This game was played after a break due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

In February, Malaki had a fantastic three-game stretch. He scored 22, 27, and 31 points in those games. As a freshman, he averaged 13.7 points, 3.6 rebounds, and two assists per game.

Awards and NBA Draft Decision

Malaki's great performance earned him some big awards. He was named Big Ten Freshman of the Year. This award goes to the best first-year player in the Big Ten conference. He was also named to the Third Team All-Big Ten.

On April 1, 2022, Malaki announced he would enter the 2022 NBA draft. At first, he kept the option to return to college. But later, he decided to hire a sports agent. This meant he would give up his chance to play college basketball again. Experts thought he might be picked very early in the NBA draft.

Professional Career in the NBA

Malaki Branham was chosen by the San Antonio Spurs with the 20th pick in the 2022 NBA draft. This was a big moment for him, as he joined one of the NBA's well-known teams.

Joining the San Antonio Spurs

After being drafted, Malaki joined the Spurs' team for the 2022 NBA Summer League. This is a series of games where new players and young players get to show their skills. In his first Summer League game, Malaki scored fifteen points. This was in a 99–90 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers. On July 8, 2022, Malaki officially signed his first professional contract with the Spurs. This is called a rookie-scale contract.

Career Statistics

NBA

College

See also

In Spanish: Malaki Branham para niños