Malaki Branham is headed back to Northeast Ohio. The Akron native and St. Vincent-St. Mary’s graduate signed with the Cleveland Charge on Monday, bringing the one-and-done Ohio State prospect home.
Welcome to The Land, @MalakiBranham!!@fdslawyers | #ChargeOn pic.twitter.com/XcVxLUt1iS
— Cleveland Charge (@ChargeCLE) March 9, 2026
Branham starred for the Buckeyes in 2021-22, averaging 13.7 points, 3.6 rebounds and two assists per game while earning Big Ten Freshman of the Year honors. He was selected No. 20 overall in the 2022 NBA Draft by the San Antonio Spurs.
Branham made an immediate impact in the NBA, appearing in 66 games with 32 starts as a rookie and averaging 10.2 points, 2.7 rebounds and 1.9 assists per game. His second season saw him play 75 games with 29 starts, putting up 9.2 points, two rebounds and 2.1 assists per contest.
The 2024-25 season was a turning point. After Gregg Popovich suffered a stroke in November 2024, Branham’s role diminished under interim-turned-official head coach Mitch Johnson. He appeared in 47 games off the bench, averaging five points, 1.1 rebounds and 0.8 assists. That offseason, Branham was traded to the Washington Wizards and later moved to the Charlotte Hornets in a three-team deal with the Dallas Mavericks before being waived on Feb. 9.
Now, Branham returns to Northeast Ohio, ready to make an impact with the Cleveland Charge and reconnect with the community where his basketball journey began. He joins former Buckeyes Sean McNeil and Micah Parrish on the Charge's roster.
