Chris Holtmann's persistence has paid off.
For nearly three years, he and his Ohio State staff chased Malaki Branham, and on Wednesday afternoon, the four-star shooting guard ended his recruitment by announcing a momentous commitment to play for the Buckeyes.
— Malaki Branham (@MalakiBranham) July 22, 2020
Branham, a Columbus native who has lived in Akron since beginning high school, chose the Buckeyes over offers from Marquette, Pittsburgh, Baylor, Wake Forest, Florida, Cincinnati, Iowa and others. Louisville and Xavier were among the schools going after him the hardest before falling short in their pursuit, and Alabama made a late push.