Spurs Rookie Malaki Branham: Steal of NBA Draft?
The San Antonio Spurs pulled off a rare feat in the NBA Draft this year, selecting three first-round picks. The Houston Rockets and the Oklahoma City Thunder were the only teams to walk away with a trio of rookies in the first round.
With their own pick, the team selected Jeremy Sochan from Baylor. With the team's draft pick it acquired from the Boston Celtics in the Derrick White trade, the Spurs selected Blake Wesley from Notre Dame. But with that middle pick (acquired for Thaddeus Young from the Toronto Raptors), the team selected Malaki Branham, a freshman from Ohio State.
Branham, a 6-5 guard who averaged 13.7 points per game while shooting over 41 percent from three, was named among Bleacher Report's biggest steals of the draft.
"Though not an explosive athlete, he compensates with shot-making versatility and a knack for knowing how to separate using timing and patience over speed or athleticism," Bleacher Report writes. "Abrupt pull-ups, post fallaways, catch-and-shoot threes and hesitation drives off ball screens were behind Branham's production at Ohio State. And his sharp, three-level scoring skills were on full display in summer league, where he averaged 15.4 points and shot 42.3 percent from deep."
Branham is also in an ideal situation to see minutes given the fact that the Spurs are rebuilding.
"Devin Vassell figures to play minutes at the 3, while Josh Primo could steal point guard minutes," Bleacher Report says. "Branham, who'll play his entire rookie season at 19 years old, should have an ideal opportunity to play big minutes and through mistakes with a Spurs team that's now in full rebuild mode."
Branham and the Spurs are set to begin training camp next month.
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