Freshman guard Malaki Branham (22) dunks the ball during the Ohio State-Indiana game Monday. Ohio State won 80-69. Credit: Gabe Haferman | Assistant Photo Editor
Although he’s only a freshman, Malaki Branham has quickly emerged as the next best scoring option alongside star forward E.J. Liddell this season.
The St. Vincent-St. Mary High School product has turned heads with dazzling performances and huge plays in late-game situations. Branham’s 27-point performance against Indiana Monday proved, once again, that he has become a reliable star for Ohio State.
As Branham has popped up as a co-star to Liddell, his running mate pointed to Branham’s gained experience as the season has worn on being the primary factor for his surge in production.
“As the year goes on, he’s just going to keep getting better and better,” Liddell said. “I feel like he’s seeing the game a lot better; it’s slowing down.”
Branham’s production increased significantly since the turn of the calendar and the end of Ohio State’s three-week pause due to COVID-19. Since Jan. 2, Branham is averaging 15.8 points per game while shooting 52.3 percent from the field — which is up from 6.3 points per game on 38.8 percent shooting in the 10 games prior to that date.
During that stretch, Branham has five games of at least 20 points and has made key plays that have led the Buckeyes in late-game situations. Against Indiana Monday, Branham tossed a pair of key assists to help Ohio State to a comeback win.
With five seconds remaining in regulation, Branham drove right while Liddell slipped to the basket. The freshman spun away from a pair of Hoosiers before firing a pass to Liddell for an easy game-tying slam to set up overtime. In the extra period, Branham found graduate guard Jamari Wheeler in the corner for a go-ahead 3-pointer, providing the Buckeyes with a lead they would not relinquish.
As Branham has shown his value as both a scorer and playmaker, head coach Chris Holtmann raved about the freshman’s maturity.
“His maturity level is elevated; I’ve said that all along. He’s one of the most mature freshmen I’ve ever coached,” Holtmann said. “Just a really high maturity level, and some of that is with his IQ and feel for the game, which has really grown.”
Holtmann added that Branham is a “completely different player” than he was earlier in the season, pointing to his coachability.
Having shown poise in big moments as a freshman, Branham said he just goes with the flow of the possession when he has the ball in his hands during crunch time.
“I just look for the right play. I’m not a guy that really forces up a bad shot,” Branham said. “I just read the game.”
While Branham has burst onto the scene over the past two months, collecting two Big Ten Freshman of the Week honors since Jan. 2, he has also caught the attention of NBA draft analysts. In a mock draft released by ESPN draft insider Jonathan Givony Wednesday, Branham was projected to be selected with the No. 41 pick in the 2022 NBA draft by the Minnesota Timberwolves.
As Branham has averaged 28.2 minutes in his first season of college basketball, fears of him hitting the “freshman wall” have crept in due to his heavy workload. Despite his heightened role, Branham said his body feels fine at this point in the season.
“I don’t think I’ve hit it,” Branham said. “I still got to condition myself to play big minutes like that, but I feel fine.”
While the Buckeyes enter a period in which they play five games in 11 days, Branham pointed to the specific areas in which the game has slowed down for him going into the home stretch of the season.
“Reads on the offensive end, like ball-screens and how they’re playing them — I feel like I’ve been working on that in practice and in games,” Branham said. “I feel like I’m getting better at that.”
