Inside The Spurs

NBA Rookie Ladder: Spurs' Jeremy Sochan & Malaki Branham Place in Top 10?

The San Antonio Spurs' rookie tandem played very well in its first NBA campaign.

Jeremy Brener

Scott Wachter-USA TODAY Sports
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The San Antonio Spurs didn't win many games this past season, but they did walk away with a pair of rookies with incredibly bright futures to build upon.

Jeremy Sochan, the No. 9 pick in the draft, and Malaki Branham, the No. 20 pick, both shined throughout the season for the Spurs.

Both of the rookies finished in the top 10 in SI Draft Digest's final rookie ladder. Sochan finished No. 7 while Branham was No. 9. Here's a look at the final ladder of the season ...

1. Paolo Banchero, Orlando Magic

2. Jalen Williams, Oklahoma City Thunder

3. Bennedict Mathurin, Indiana Pacers

4. Walker Kessler, Utah Jazz

5. Jaden Ivey, Detroit Pistons

6. Keegan Murray, Sacramento Kings

7. Jeremy Sochan, San Antonio Spurs

8. Jabari Smith Jr., Houston Rockets

9. Malaki Branham, San Antonio Spurs

10. Shaedon Sharpe, Portland Trail Blazers

Sochan flashed his potential early in the season as an immediate starter for the Spurs. He averaged 11 points per game in his first NBA season while grabbing 5.3 rebounds per contest. He even showed abilities of being a top scorer, posting 20 or more points in six games this season.

As for Branham, he was a slow burner. The former Ohio State Buckeyes point guard started the season off in the G League. Branham didn't see consistent minutes in San Antonio until December and didn't become a full-time starter until February, but once he made his mark, he proved to be a force for the Spurs.

Branham was on a tear in February, averaging 16.8 points per game across 11 contests. That stretch, coupled with a strong finish to the season, helped Branham climb up the rookie ladder to a final spot and an opportunity to be considered for the All-Rookie teams.

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Jeremy Brener
JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.

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