Kofi Inkoom
The San Antonio Spurs have officially exercised their third-year team option for the 2024-25 season on forward Jeremy Sochan and guards Malaki Branham and Blake Wesley, as announced in a team press release.
Sochan, who is embarking on his second season with the Spurs, received recognition for his performance during the 2022-23 season by being named to the NBA All-Rookie Second Team.
In 56 games, he maintained averages of 11.0 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 2.5 assists in 26.0 minutes of play. Sochan’s achievements also included his selection to the 2023 Rising Stars roster, making him the first Spurs rookie to earn this honor since Keldon Johnson in 2021 and the 10th in franchise history.
Having been drafted by San Antonio as the ninth overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft, Sochan scored in double figures in 35 games, a feat unmatched by any Spurs rookie since Gary Neal in the 2010-11 season.
Malaki Branham, entering his second season with the Spurs, appeared in 66 games during his rookie year, averaging 10.2 points, 2.7 rebounds, and 1.9 assists in 23.5 minutes.
Notably, Branham led all rookies in points scored for the month of February, tallying a total of 185 points with an average of 16.8 points per game. He became the first Spurs rookie to reach 185+ points in a single month since Neal achieved 189 points in March 2011.
Blake Wesley, starting his sophomore season with the Silver and Black, played in 37 games during his debut season, averaging 5.0 points, 2.7 assists, and 2.2 rebounds in 18.1 minutes.
After being chosen by San Antonio as the 25th overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft, the Notre Dame alum also gained experience with the Austin Spurs, where he averaged 20.7 points, 3.7 rebounds, 3.1 assists, and 2.0 steals in 11 games.
Wesley further showcased his skills in the Summer League, featuring in five games and maintaining averages of 12.8 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 3.0 assists in 29.1 minutes.