Center Khaman Maluach Joins Duke’s Star-Studded 2024 Class

Jon Scheyer strikes again in the class of 2024, this time reeling in an international prospect. Khaman Maluach a name that Duke fans have grown to know out of the NBA Academy Africa has committed to Jon Scheyer and the Duke Blue Devils. The South Sudanese 7’2, 250lbs big man will help shore up the middle for the Blue Devils joining Patrick Ngongba as big man commits for the upcoming season.

Born in Rumbek, South Sudan, Maluach grew up in neighboring Uganda as a refugee with his siblings and mother. There, in 2019, he was encouraged to play basketball by a motorcyclist who had stopped down when he saw the tall Maluach walking along the road. He attended a local camp organised by former Duke forward Luol Deng and started playing basketball. He later joined the NBA Academy Africa in Saly, Senegal, where basketball is combined with education.

Maluach played for South Sudanese professional team Cobra Sport in the 2022 BAL season, as part of the BAL Elevate program. Through this programme, one NBA Academy player was assigned to each BAL team. He made his BAL debut on April 9 against defending champions Zamalek, scoring two points and recording two rebounds in seven minutes.

Khaman Maluach, a 7-foot-2 center from the NBA Academy Africa in Senegal, told ESPN that he has committed to Duke.

“Duke is home; that’s where I belong.” Maluach said. “This was the hardest decision I’ve ever made. I felt like I could succeed anywhere, but I was most comfortable going to Duke. All the schools that were recruiting me are big-time programs, but in terms of my development and the relationships I built with the coaches, they were the best.”

Duke has seemingly never had a big man like Maluach, he projects to be in the mold of a Joel Embiid type but will be come close to that potential in college? It’s hard to say. He is a relentless worker who seeks to expand each and every part of his game. His biggest adjustment will be the speed of the college game.

“He has a chance to be the next Joel Embiid, he’s 7-foot-2, he’s a fluid athlete, he plays with an unbelievable edge and he has a really high skill level and IQ,. I mean, he’s been playing at the highest level for a long time, he understands the game deeply and he has a remarkable competitive edge. If he goes to college, he’s going to be a game-changer day one upon arrival.”

-Blair Academy (N.J.) coach Joe Mantegna (coached Maluach with the South Sudan national team )

Biggest Adjustment

I think for Khaman the biggest adjustment will be the speed of the college game. On a couple of occasions the big man has mentioned that what surprised him most about the college game was the speed. Once in Durham game speed along with preparing for league physicality will be paramount for his development and knowing what to expect. Maluach has shown the ability to be an excellent screener will be perfect for pick and roll situations and depending on the level of progress he’s made with his jump shot perhaps a pick and pop option. His coaches have labeled him as supremely coachable and wanting to soak up as much information and skills as possible which bodes well for him on every level.

Reclassification

Since his reclassification into the 2024 class Maluach has impressed scouts and coaches alike garnering attention from a multitude of Blue Bloods and high major programs. Where Maluach can help the Blue Devils is on the defensive end. Paired with shot-block hunter Cooper Flagg they will make for a very disruptive force in the paint. I would expect his offensive game to be a work in progress but he could very well make a living as a Blue Devil off of offensive rebound put-backs and being a lob threat. The Blue Devils should have a potent offense which could very well open things up for Maluach to be the open man and hence the recipient of dump offs and pocket passes. With an uncertain injury status for Duke’s other big recruit Patrick Ngongba heading into next season and the possibility of a Christian Reeves transfer I would be surprised if there wasn’t an investment in a big from the portal – someone with some experience to fill in the gaps for Jon Scheyer.

February saw the big man during a recent trip to the US for the NBA Basketball Without Borders Camp take visits to Kansas (Feb. 9-10), UCLA (Feb. 23-24), Kentucky (Feb. 12-13) and the G-League (Feb. 21-22) before heading back to Africa for his final decision to attend Duke. Maluach joins a star-studded class that includes Darren Harris, Isaiah Evans, Kon Knueppel, Cooper Flagg and Patrick Ngongba.

The next steps for the Blue Devils are once decisions have been made after the post season:

1. work to retain freshmen Sean Stewart and TJ Power
2. look to the portal for another big as a backup – in the same fashion as Ryan Young or Theo John (someone capable but not necessarily in need of a ton of minutes) and perhaps a guard – depending on how things shape up with Jared McCain & Jeremy Roach