Ohio State basketball: Malaki Branham, EJ Liddell find success in NBA Summer League
By Charles Post
Former Ohio State basketball players Malaki Branham and E.J. Liddell have continued to showcase their dynamic skillsets in the NBA Summer League this week! There have been ups and downs for both players throughout their time in Las Vegas but Branham and Liddell demonstrated why they were selected in the draft just over a year ago.
While the Summer League is just a glimpse into their potential, Branham and Liddell proved they can provide depth moving forward. Branham is expected to earn significant minutes off the San Antonio Spurs bench, while Liddell will look to play well with the New Orleans Pelicans after missing last season with a knee injury.
Malaki Branham tonight:
— Kevin O'Connor (@KevinOConnorNBA) July 12, 2023
29 points
7/14 from 2
5/6 from 3
Pure bucket-getter from all levels.
Big games again by Dominick Barlow and Julian Champagnie too. And more great defense and passing by Sidy Cissoko. The Spurs have a ton of young talent in addition to Victor Wembanyama. pic.twitter.com/dED5PCqjdW
Both former Ohio State basketball players continue to find success in NBA Las Vegas Summer League
Branham is a talented combo guard that was highly regarded during his time at Ohio State before playing 66 games in his rookie season with the Spurs last year. The 2022 Big Ten Freshman of the Year showed off his impressive scoring ability and positional versatility, averaging 17.3 points and 3.6 assists per game in Las Vegas.
Despite struggling to find an offensive rhythm in the second game, Branham was able to bounce back with a dominant showing in a 96-85 win over the Washington Wizards on Tuesday. Branham dropped a game-high 29 points to go with two rebounds, one assist, and one steal on 12/20 shooting from the field.
The former Buckeye dominated in the Summer League game last night.https://t.co/0SoSQoXvMz
— Scarlet & Game (@ScarletAndGame) July 12, 2023
Former Ohio State basketball standouts showcase dynamic skillsets during NBA Summer League
Combined with his consistent competitiveness and work ethic, Liddell displayed a strong interior game and solid shooting touch in recent outings. It will be exciting to see how Liddell continues to develop in the coming years and whether he can parlay his past success into a spot on the Pelicans roster for the upcoming campaign.
Next. Ohio State Basketball: Malaki Branham dominates in NBA Summer League win. dark
Liddell compiled nine points, three rebounds, and one block on 4/6 shooting from the field in his Summer League debut last week, before putting up eight points and three rebounds on Sunday night. The Ohio State product will wrap up Summer League pool play against the Charlotte Hornets on Thursday at 6:30 PM on NBATV.