COLUMBUS, Ohio — Malaki Branham just spent the past week putting up his best case for why it wouldn’t be a bad idea for him to at least flirt with the NBA after one season as an Ohio State basketball player. While the Buckeyes went 2-1 in games against Iowa, Indiana and Illinois, the freshman averaged 26.7 points on 70% shooting, including the second half of a 31-point performance in Thursday’s win over Illinois where he made all seven of his shots. “Malaki was sensational,” OSU coach Chris Holtmann said. “He made great decisions with the ball.” Being a one-and-done player might not have been on his radar when he got to Columbus, or even after the first two months. But it at least has to be a conversation now that the Buckeyes could lose their best two players after this season, with E.J. Liddell already expected to forgo his…
Continue Reading: What Trey Burke’s Michigan career can tell us about whether Malaki Branham returns to Ohio State basketball or goes pro: Stephen Means
