Spurs Rookie Malaki Branham Snubbed for Rookie of the Month?
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San Antonio Spurs rookie Malaki Branham is coming off the best month of his young career.
In 11 games played during February, the No. 20 overall pick out of Ohio State averaged 16.8 points, 3.8 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game.
Branham was a strong candidate to be the Western Conference Rookie of the Month as the leading scorer amongst rookies, but the honor went to Utah Jazz center Walker Kessler, who averaged a double-double with 10.6 points and 11.4 rebounds.
Kessler took home the honor for the first time after Oklahoma City Thunder wing Jalen Williams won in November and Sacramento Kings power forward Keegan Murray was honored the past two months.
Branham may not have been given the honor, but he is certainly keeping a receipt that he didn't on social media.
Fans replied to Branham's tweet with fans who felt he was "robbed," and it's possible that he was. It's hard to overlook Kessler's double-double average over the month, but Branham has taken a massive step forward as he's played in the starting lineup.
But given this "snub" for Branham, it appears that he'll use this disappointment as fuel to try and be March's Rookie of the Month.
Branham's Spurs return to the court tomorrow night against the Houston Rockets at 7:00 p.m.
You can follow Jeremy Brener on Twitter @JeremyBrener.
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