The No. 22 at Ohio State takes on some significant meaning in basketball. Scoring sensation Michael Redd wore it, but before that two-time All-American and UPI Player of the Year, Jim Jackson, donned the deuces in his time in the scarlet and gray.
Jackson was so revered at OSU that the program officially retired his number in 2001. It hangs in the rafters of Value City Arena still to this day.
But, there’s a guy coming in from Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary that adores that number as well. Freshman guard Malaki Branham wore the No. 22 in high school and we heard through head coach Chris Holtmann that there was a thought to Branham approaching Jackson to get his permission to wear it himself at Ohio State.
We didn’t really hear more about it until this week, and it appears that Branham has gotten the blessing from Jackson based on comments Branham made to the Columbus Dispatch.
“It’s a big responsibility,” Branham told the Dispatch. “Jimmy Jackson, Michael Redd also, so it’s a lot of good players that wore No. 22, and I’m trying to be the next one. It’s a lot of work I’ve gotta put in, but I think I’m ready for it.”
Not only is that a bit of confirmation from the player, but Ohio State’s online roster also has Branahm’s number listed as the No. 22, so that’s good enough for us.
Malaki Branham working to make big Ohio State impact after Kingdom Summer League debut https://t.co/vKuWPBdy3q
— Columbus Dispatch (@DispatchAlerts) July 6, 2021
The high four-star prospect has flown a little under the radar nationally, and maybe even in some corners of the Ohio State basketball universe, but he has the potential to be an instant impact guy that could follow in the footsteps of Jackson and become an All-American. He’s got that type of skill set.
If he does, that No. 22 will look awfully familiar out there.
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