Ohio State guard Malaki Branham, the reigning Big Ten Freshman of the Year, will remain in the NBA Draft and not return to Columbus for his sophomore season. Branham, a potential first-round pick in the 2022 NBA Draft, originally declared for the draft on April 1 while maintaining his eligibility.
“I will hire an agent and officially put my name in the NBA Draft,” Branham said at a news conference Wednesday. “Being a first round pick, I felt like that was the biggest feedback I needed.”
The 6-foot-5 wing is projected to go No. 16 to the Houston Rockets in Sam Vecenie’s latest mock draft. Branham was second on the Buckeyes in scoring this season, averaging 13.7 points per game. His numbers improved as the season went on, as he averaged 16 points per game and shot 46.8 percent from 3-point range in Big Ten play. Branham scored a team-high 23 points in Ohio State’s second-round NCAA Tournament loss to Villanova.
Branham was one of 283 players who filed as an early-entry candidate for the NBA Draft, according to a list released by the NBA on Wednesday. Players have until June 1 to withdraw from the draft and maintain college eligibility, per NCAA rules.
Ohio State’s leading scorer in 2021-22, forward E.J. Liddell, announced in March he would forgo his senior season and enter the draft.
(Photo: G Fiume / Getty Images)