Malaki Branham : Highschool Baller Sensation Primed for the Big League

The pedigree of high school basketball is getting more and more potent over the years, and schools are cramming more than ever to recruit a young athlete whom they think will fit their system. One of the players that stands out above the rest is Malaki Branham, a four star high school basketball player from St. Vincent-St. Mary HS in Akron (which is the exact school LeBron James came from) whose size, length and motor for a guard is already making schools salivate.

What Malaki Branham Offers

Easily one of the nation's top 40 college prospects, Malaki Branham is towering over his high school adversaries with a height of 6'4 and weighs in more than 190 pounds and is very quick and agile for his size. His length adds a different dimension to his game to help him contour his way inside the the other teams defense and sky over them. This helps him as well defensively to guard the passing lanes and disturb shots. But like all prospects, the kid needs guidance from a school and a coach to hone his skills on the college level where the competition kicks up a notch.

Offers and The Ohio State Buckeyes

Recently, a handful of teams already reached out to Malaki to offer him a scholarship to join their respective team. They are aware of the impressive build, skillset and work ethic this kid has. Duquesne and Akron has sent out their offers as well as Miami (Ohio) and Ohio University to try their luck in snagging the prized athlete. Though there is one major program who had offered Malaki a scholarship that is making headlines today, the Ohio State Buckeyes which already made deals with Kalen Etzler, the first 2021 recruit and Justin Sueing, a transfer. But unlike Etzler who decided right away to commit to Ohio State the same day he was offered the scholarship, Malaki Branham wants to sit down and look at his options.

If ever Malaki ultimately chooses the Buckeyes, he'll be parading the team with Etzler and potentially fellow four-star recruit Keon Johnson and will form instantly a formidable lineup for the Ohio State.

Visits to Columbus

Just recently, Malaki Branham made a visit at the Ohio State campus where he was allowed to check on the available facilities and even locker rooms before being invited inside the office of the Buckeyes coach, Chris Holtmann. After a small chat about the history of the school program, Malaki was surprised with an immediate offer to join the team. It was indeed an amazing moment for the young potential star.

It might be the first major basketball school that offered Branham a scholarship, but he would like to take his time and decide. And he's gonna have ample time to decide on this future and we can bet on that more major basketball programs will make their offers to snatch him away from Ohio State.

Joining Malaki Branham and Kalen Etzler on the 2021 prospect class radar for the Ohio State Buckeyes is guard Meechie Johnson. Lets see in the upcoming weeks who will add up on this list of standouts the Buckeyes set their cross hairs on.