Tireless work ethic helped Spurs draftee Malaki Branham shoot up draft boards
Branham, drafted by the Spurs last week, is a three-level scorer from multiple spots on the floor.Sitting near one of the baskets at AT&T Center, Luzon Branham recalled Saturday how her first grandchild quickly gravitated toward the hoop he received for Christmas when he was 3.
Surprised a player they labeled as a possible late lottery pick had fallen into their lap, the Spurs selected Ohio State one-and-done guard Malaki Branham with glee.A smooth three-level scorer from multiple spots on the floor, Branham is indeed a “basketball player” in the mold of Spurs All-Star point guard Dejounte Murray. That’s to say he’s a gym rat, a student of the game who can’t watch enough film, a driven, ambitious young man eager to make the most of this opportunity.
Having committed to Ohio State in July 2020 after also being recruited by Alabama, Baylor, Illinois, Louisville, Marquette, Michigan and Xavier, Branham got off to a slow start with the Buckeyes while struggling to adjust to the increased physicality and pace of Big Ten basketball. Over his first 10 games, he averaged only 6.3 points on 38.8 percent shooting from the field and 33.3 percent from 3-point range while never scoring more than 11 points.
“I felt like my mindset just changed,” Branham said. “I just wanted to be aggressive and help the team win.”“I kind of got in his ear and said, ‘You got to start playing better. coach Holtmann trusted you,’ ” Dawson said. “The next day, we got in the gym at 5 a.m.” The hard work paid off big time. In Ohio State’s first game back on Jan. 2, Branham scored 35 points in an overtime win at Nebraska on 13 of 19, including 6 of 10 from downtown. He went on to average 17.0 points over the final 22 games while shooting 52.8 percent from the field and 43.2 percent from distance on 3.4 attempts.
The Spurs also liked Branham’s efficiency, intelligence, knowledge of the game and understanding of his limitations.“He’s super competitive and always looking to exceed the next expectation,” Dawson said. “He’s going to strive to be the best pro he can be, an All-Star. He’s a perfectionist, so if he doesn’t get it, he’s going to keep working and working and working to become one of the best in the NBA. And money is not going to change him or his work ethic. That’s his greatest asset.
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