With the NBA draft set for Thursday, fans around the world are checking the latest mock drafts to see who their favorite team is projected to pick.
For the Chicago Bulls, they hold the No. 18 pick in the first-round.
On Wednesday, ESPN’s Jonathan Givony released his latest mock, which had the Bulls select Ohio State freshman Malaki Branham with the No. 18 pick.
Givony on Branham:
“Rival teams say the Bulls aren’t in love with their options here, and they are open to trading the pick, potentially in a package with combo guard Coby White. If they stand pat, the upside offered by Branham could be attractive, as he has a strong case to be considered the most talented prospect on the board. Branham’s combination of size, frame, length, scoring instincts and shot-making prowess off the dribble (44% FG%) and with his feet set (43%) look seamlessly translatable to what the NBA is looking for at his position. He plays with a unique combination of aggressiveness and poise for a player who just turned 19, and his impressive strides as the season moved on, facilitating more for others and showing competitiveness defensively one-on-one, give him a high ceiling as a prospect.”
With rumors circling that the Bulls are dangling Coby White and the No. 18 pick, the likelihood that Chicago keeps their pick is up in the air but if Branham was the pick, as Givony said, the Buckeye would give Billy Donovan another versatile threat on the offensive end with the competitive chops on the defensive end to be an above average two-way player.
In his freshman year at Ohio State, Branham averaged 13.7 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 2.0 assists while shooting 41.6% from 3-point range.
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