Guard Malaki Branham
Akron, OH (Akron Saint Vincent-Saint Mary)
6-foot, 5-inches, 190-pounds
Branham is a Top 30 ESPN prospect. He was born and raised in Columbus before moving to Akron prior to his ninth-grade year. He averaged 18.0 points and 6.0 rebounds in four games at the U16 Nike Peach Jam for NEO Tru Game in the summer of 2019, shooting 38.5% from 3-point range.
Akron Saint Vincent Saint Mary won the Ohio State Division II State Championship when Branham was a freshman. Branham then led the team to a 24-4 record as a sophomore following a loss in the Division I state title game. His junior year was cut short by the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We are really excited about the addition of Malaki,” head coach Chris Holtmann said in a statement. “It became clear during the recruiting process that he and his family fit exactly what we were looking for. He brings great versatility and positional size to our backcourt, while playing with the competitiveness and habits we value here. His ability to impact winning on both ends is really exciting. Malaki comes from a storied Ohio high school program and will come in ready to make an impact as a Buckeye. His best days as a player are ahead of him. Malaki is a great addition to the University community and we are excited to officially welcome him to our Ohio State basketball family.”