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Shot 4-of-7 (57.1%) and ranked in the 90th percentile out of isolation plays this season.

He only made three unassisted three-pointers all year. He would be much more valuable if he made guys pay for going under screens instead of looking to get to his spots near the paint.

Branham self-created 63.7% of his field goals this season but could stand to expand his range, especially out of the pick-and-roll.

He turns down too many threes in favor of longer twos. He does not generate a lot of separation, but that could improve as he tightens up his handle and adds more combination moves to his repertoire.

A lot of his shot diet consisted of contested midrange jumpers.

528/.432/.822 shooting splits over the final 22 games of the season.

He exploded for 35 points against Nebraska and averaged 17.0 points, 3.8 boards, and 2.2 assists per game on. 388/.333/1.000 shooting splits before the Ohio State COVID hiatus. Branham averaged 6.3 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 1.6 assists per game on.Branham keeps the ball moving, and he should be a solid connective tissue guy who executes simple reads. He can hit the roll man over the top, find the big man on pick-and-pops, dump the ball off to the dunker’s spot when two defenders committed to his drive, and make good post entry passes. He is a solid passer with some secondary ball-handling upside.There are some legitimate questions about his shot versatility on and off the ball out the NBA three-point line, but his jumper is fundamentally sound. Branham did not show much utility shooting threes off movement or screens and struggled beyond the arc in transition.Drained 44.2% of his spot-up three-pointers and ranked in the 82nd percentile on all spot-up jumpers, does a great job of getting square with the basket, hopping into his shot, and has a quick, fluid, albeit low release, also hit 53.1% of his unguarded catch-and-shoot threes, relocated well off-ball.I love how he can play so controlled off two-footed takeoffs, went 10-of-21 (47.6%) on runners, but tends to lean away from contact directly at the rim.

He possesses exceptional body control and has the touch to finish with either hand.

Branham does not have the quickest first step or best lift in a crowd, but he uses his strong frame to patiently will his way to the rim against his defender.

How will his finishing translate in the NBA?

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He relied on seals from his bigs to break free and did not create a lot of space one-on-one or off quick rips. Many of his drives were noticeably wide because he gets knocked off his path to the rim. I am a little concerned about his ability as a straight-line driver.Branham had an excellent grasp of snaking ball screens, changing gears, trapping defenders on his back or hip before rising into a middy or a runner, and allowed bigs to seal rim-protectors before attacking the basket. He shot 53-of-89 (59.6%) and ranked in the 95th percentile for that play type. Among the most efficient pick-and-roll scorers in the nation.Also showed the potential to shoot in the midrange coming off curls and pin downs, he only had 31 possessions shooting off screens away from the ball at Ohio State, but he looked fluid and comfortable using curls and pin downs to create good looks inside the arc or to get to the rim.Does a great job of attacking aggressive closeouts with shot fakes to get defenders in the air and then using a couple of dribbles to create space for his midrange jumper.Plays at a methodical pace in the midrange, uses jab steps to set up the possession before using spins, bumps, pump fakes, jump stops to generate enough space to get his shot off, gets good elevation but stays balanced in the air, stops on a dime, uses a variety of different footwork when pulling up.Excellent efficiency from the short midrange area, went 38-of-77 (49.4%), and ranked in the 87th percentile from that zone while self-creating 81.8% of his non-rim two-point field goals.Malaki Branham | Ohio State | Freshman | Guard | Measurements As the 17th-ranked prospect on my Big Board, Branham was one of the bigger steals of this class, but he is by no means a finished product. The Ohio State guard was one of the best freshmen in college basketball last season, with a meteoric rise following a COVID hiatus positioning him as a possible lottery target. We examined Jeremy Sochan in part one, and it’s time for an in-depth breakdown of Malaki Branham, the 20th overall pick of the 2022 NBA Draft and the middle child of San Antonio’s three teenage first-round selections.

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Welcome to the second installment of my rookie scouting report series for Pounding the Rock.

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