Malaki Branham has improved his play for the Spurs this season

Malaki Branham has been having a solid second year for the San Antonio Spurs.

Obviously, most of the storylines surrounding the San Antonio Spurs this year have been about Victor Wembanyama. The 20-year-old rookie has been a joy to watch on both ends of the court, and even though the Spurs haven’t won many games this year, he’s clearly the type of guy who can lead them into the future.

But he isn’t the only player on the team. The Spurs are a young squad full of players looking to prove themselves, one of which being Malaki Branham. The second-year guard has been having a solid season so far, and while he may not have taken a massive leap, there are some signs of growth.

The Locked On Spurs podcast recently discussed Branham’s improvements this season.

So far this season, Branham is averaging 8.7 points, 2.0 rebounds, and 2.2 assists while shooting 43.6% from the field and 33.5% from behind the three-point line. He’s appeared in 57 games, playing 20.6 minutes per contest.

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Watch: Former Ohio State star Malaki Branham posterizes LeBron James

What a dunk from Branham. #GoBucks

[autotag]Malaki Branham[/autotag] entered the Ohio State basketball program with extremely high expectations and fulfilled them after just one season, getting selected as the No. 20 overall pick in the NBA draft by the San Antonio Spurs.

Although his NBA career hasn’t gone the way many expected it to, he still had quite the moment on Friday evening. As the Spurs took on the Los Angeles Lakers, Branham got an opportunity at the rim to make a play.

Branham would posterize his fellow St. Vincent-St. Mary alum, LeBron James, in a dunk that has been all over social media. It most likely was one of the biggest highlights of his early NBA career. Check out the dunk below.

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Spurs guard Malaki Branham tells story of journey to the NBA

San Antonio Spurs guard Malaki Branham recently discussed his journey to the NBA.

The San Antonio Spurs have been down in the dumps for the majority of the season this year. Obviously, there is more to look forward to than just wins and losses. Victor Wembanyama has been great in his rookie season, Devin Vassell has taken a jump, and there’s a ton of hope for a brighter tomorrow. But for not, they’re struggling.

However, their down season gives the Spurs a chance to monitor some of their younger players and see who they want to build with moving forward. Malaki Branham is one of those guys. In his second year in the NBA, Branham has played a bit less, but he’s still a part of the rotation.

In a recent video posted to the Spurs’ YouTube channel, Branham spoke about his journey to the NBA.

Whether or not Branham will be a part of the Spurs’ future is yet to be seen, but he’s a part of their present.

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Evaluating Malaki Branham’s play for the San Antonio Spurs this season

How has Malaki Branham been playing for the San Antonio Spurs this year?

Heading into the NBA season, all of the focus surrounding the San Antonio Spurs was on Victor Wembanyama. The 20-year-old Frenchman was the clear-cut choice to be the first pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, and so far, he’s lived up to the hype that was around him at the time of the draft )and the months leading up to it).

However, he’s not the only player on the team. While most are focused on Wembanyama, Devin Vassell, Jeremy Sochan, and the other top-tier guys, the Spurs have been working hard this season to develop all of their players, including second-year point guard Malaki Branham.

Branham has been playing fewer minutes per game this year, and his efficiency has been down. But how has his play been overall? SSPN: A San Antonio Spurs Podcast recently evaluated how Branham’s season has been going.

So far this season, Branham is averaging 7.8 points, 2.0 rebounds, and 2.2 assists while shooting 42.2% from the field and 29.5% from behind the three-point line.

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Is Blake Wesley taking Malaki Branham’s spot in the San Antonio Spurs’ rotation?

The Spurs find themselves with a decision to make given Wesley’s elevated play in recent contests.

Is guard Blake Wesley taking Malaki Branham‘s spot in the San Antonio Spurs’ rotation? The Spurs find themselves with a decision to make given Wesley’s elevated play in recent contests, with analysts and fans taking note.

At the same time, Branham’s play has been slipping in recent games, leading many to speculate whether their roles might flip for a while. If only for head coach Gregg Popovich to see what he has in Wesley playing more minutes for the Spurs. With point guard a position of need for San Antonio even in this rebuilding season to maximize the play of rookie wunderkind Victor Wembanyama, a normally minor issue is a bigger concern than it otherwise might be.

The host of the “TSR Sports” YouTube channel recently sat down to explore this unfolding dynamic for the Spurs’ roster management.

Take a look at the clip embedded above to hear it in full.

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Malaki Branham remains confident in Spurs despite season struggles

Despite their struggles, Malaki Branham remains confident in the San Antonio Spurs.

Before the season started, the San Antonio Spurs weren’t expected to compete for the postseason. As things stand, the Spurs are 5-30 on the season. Victor Wembanyama’s presence has given fans high hopes for the future, but in the short term, the Spurs are the bottom-feeders of the Western Conference.

Three of the Spurs’ five wins came in the first five games of the season, and since then, they’ve won just two games. They’ve found themselves in some close games, but they’ve struggled to close the gap and get over the hump. But despite their struggles, the team is still confident in their abilities and the guys they have on the roster.

Malaki Branham recently spoke with the Akron Beacon Journal, noting his continued confidence in the team in the face of losing. (H/t Jeff Garcia of KENS5)

“We haven’t been winning games, but I feel like that’s going to change as long as we just stick together,” Branham said. “We have a young core, so I feel like the best thing we can have is just chemistry, where people like the ball at, and once we figure that out I think we’re going to be pretty good.”

Branham has taken on a role as one of the primary ball-handlers in San Antonio. Once the Jeremy Sochan-at-point-guard experiment failed, they moved on to a committee of Branham, Sochan, Tre Jones, and Devin Vassell.
So far this season, Braham is averaging 8.7 points, 2.1 rebounds, and 2.4 assists while shooting 43.3% from the field and 30.9% from behind the three-point line.
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Gregg Popovich discusses injuries to Spurs’ Zach Collins, Malaki Branham

San Antonio Spurs Gregg Popovich recently discussed the injuries to Zach Collins and Malaki Branham.

The San Antonio Spurs have dealt with a ton of struggles this season, and most of them have been due to the team’s youth. Victor Wembanyama is leading the way, but he just turned 20 years old (today, January 4). Even guys like Devin Vassell and Keldon Johnson, the team’s other stars, are only 23 and 24 years old, respectively.

However, while many of the Spurs’ problems are self-inflicted wounds, they’ve also dealt with their fair share of injury problems this season. Right now, Zach Collins is set to miss 2-3 weeks, and Malaki Branham is listed as day-to-day. Both guys are dealing with ankle issues.

Head coach Gregg Popovich discussed the absence of those two guys, what it means for the Spurs, and how it affects the two players.

“We miss Malaki and we miss Zach, but everybody’s got somebody that’s out, so that’s not a big deal,” Popovich said via Tom Osborn of the San Antonio Express-News. “But for us it is because they’re such a young team and they need all their bodies. But I’m pleased with their effort. They just have to keep the attitude up.”

Collins is having a great season thus far playing alongside Wembanyama in the Spurs’ frontcourt. He’s averaging 12.9 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 2.3 assists while shooting 49.5% from the floor and 31.2% from behind the three-point line.

Meanwhile, Branham is averaging 8.9 points, 2.2 rebounds, and 2.5 assists while shooting 43.7% from the field and 31.8% from beyond the three-point arc.

The Spurs would love to get Collins and Branham back as soon as possible.

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Gregg Popovich discusses Malaki Branham’s point guard growth for Spurs

San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich recently discussed Malaki Branham’s growth at the point guard position.

The San Antonio Spurs point guard position has been one of the most intriguing in the league this season. Jeremy Sochan started the year as the team’s starting point guard, a role he was completely new to. Unfortunately, after he admitted some uncomfortably in the role, that experiment ended.

Once the Sochan-at-point-guard era failed in San Antonio, they turned to a group of guys to take over the ball-handling duties. This group included Sochan, Devin Vassell, Tre Jones, and Malaki Branham. The latter of the four, Branham, has been a consistent starter since November 22, coming off the bench just once since that date.

Head coach Gregg Popovich recently spoke about Branham’s growth at the point guard position and the additional responsibilities he’s had to take on.

“It’s a whole new world for him and he’s absorbing it every game, basically trying to figure out the role,” Popovich said via Tom Osborn of the San Antonio Express-News. “It’s a tough role. It’s the most difficult on the court really in some ways. So, he’s been very successful in taking steps each time to understand how he can help the team, with being aggressive, decision-making, all those sorts of things. He’s dealing with all that, been doing well.”

So far this season, Branham is averaging 9.2 points, 2.2 rebounds, and 2.5 assists while shooting 44.1% from the field and 31.8% from behind the three-point line.

At just 20 years old, Branham still has plenty of room to grow, and as one of the Spurs’ lead ball-handlers moving forward, he’ll have plenty of opportunities to do so.

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Jeremy Sochan, Malaki Branham named among ESPN’s ‘sophomores to watch’

San Antonio Spurs youngsters Jeremy Sochan and Malaki Branham were listed as potential “sophomores to watch” next NBA season.

This summer has all about Victor Wembanyama for the San Antonio Spurs. They selected the 19-year-old Frenchman with the first pick in the 2023 NBA Draft. However, Wembanyama is far from the only player on the team. They have a great group of guys around him for fans to be excited about.

Devin Vassell is poised for a big season after missing the majority of last year, Keldon Johnson has a chance to follow up his best scoring year with another, and Tre Jones has a lot to prove after signing his new extension. However, San Antonio’s sophomores are perhaps the most intriguing guys on the roster.

In ESPN’s article about NBA “sophomores to watch” this season, Jeremy Sochan and Malaki Branham were both mentioned. Jamal Collier brought up Sochan as someone who could be poised for a breakout season.

“Jeremy Sochan shows promise for the San Antonio Spurs, especially with the added prospect of playing next to Wembanyama,” Collier wrote. “As a rookie, Sochan averaged 11 points and five rebounds while providing versatile defense. With more eyes on San Antonio this year and more opportunity to shine next to Wembanyama, Sochan has a chance to elevate himself among this class with a strong sophomore season.”

Meanwhile, Andrew Lopez labeled Branham as an “under-the-radar” pick to be a key contributor.

“It feels like everyone on San Antonio’s roster but Wemby is going to be under-the-radar, but one of last year’s three first-round picks, Malaki Branham, could be poised for a jump,” Lopez wrote. “In his final 25 games last season, Branham averaged 13.7 points and dropped 20 or more seven times in that stretch. Branham will give the Spurs a nice scoring option on the bench as the team tries to figure out its best combination of players around Wembanyama.”

Both players will have a chance to prove themselves with all the eyes that will inevitably be on the Spurs next season.

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Former Ohio State star Malaki Branham Puts up 29 Points in Summer League game

Branham is heating up in the Summer League. #GoBucks

The Las Vegas Summer League has been underway for almost a week now.  The Summer League is an excellent opportunity for fringe roster players to make a name for themselves, as well as rookie and second-year players to get NBA experience.

That is the case for former Ohio State, and now second-year San Antonio Spurs guard, Malaki Branham. With number one overall pick Victor Wembanyama shut down for the rest of the Summer League, Branham stepped up in a big way for the Spurs.

In Tuesday’s matchup with the Wizards, Branham led both teams with 29 points in a 96-85 victory. He shot 12-of-20 from the field, including hitting five of his six three-pointers, and added two rebounds and one assist.

This is Branham’s third good performance of his four games so far. He put up 32 points in the Sacramento Summer League last Wednesday and 29 points in the Las Vegas opener last Friday.

The Saint-Vincent St. Mary’s alum had a solid rookie year averaging 10.2 points in 23.2 minutes per game. He projects to have an expanded role in his second year and had his capabilities on display in Summer League action.

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