The San Antonio Spurs had three first-round draft picks in the 2022 NBA Draft and selected Jeremy Sochan, Malaki Branham, and Blake Wesley. Sochan has emerged as a core player, as his defense makes him a quality starter. However, Branham and Wesley haven’t had the success of Sochan, although incremental improvements should give fans hope for Branham this season.
Last year, Branham averaged 9.2 points, two rebounds, 2.1 assists, and 1.2 turnovers in 21.3 minutes of playing time per game. His shooting numbers, while not great, improved from his rookie year, although his playing time took a slight dip. This season, he will likely be buried on the depth chart behind more talented backcourt players like Chris Paul, Devin Vassell, Tre Jones, and Stephon Castle.
However, Paul is 39 years old and has a recent injury history, so Branham’s number might get called. Expecting him to play around 20 minutes a night next season is fair, and in those minutes, his shooting will make or break his reputation in San Antonio. As a rookie, he shot 44 percent from the floor and 30.2 percent from deep. Last year, he improved to a respectable 34.7 percent from behind the arc, although his overall efficiency went down. However, he was more eager to shoot from deep last season and could serve as a floor-spacer.
With the Spurs building around a dominating center in Victor Wembanyama, anyone who can space the floor will have a spot on the roster. If Branham can shoot with more volume and confidence this season and show a marked improvement from behind the arc, expect Popovich to occasionally favor him over Castle, Jones, and Blake Wesley, none of whom are proficient shooters…yet. Related: San Antonio Spurs Clutch Lineup: Keldon Johnson or Harrison Barnes? That’s not to say that Branham will see the court more than Castle, the fourth overall pick in this year’s draft, but when the Spurs need a shot-maker in bog moments, Branham can carve out a role for himself. All he needs to do is continue to improve.
