Maluach, top big man in 2024 class, to join Duke

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.”

Maluach — projected by ESPN as the No. 3 pick in the 2025 NBA draft — is considered the top big man in the class of 2024, adding to one of the most impressive recruiting classes assembled in recent memory by head coach Jon Scheyer. It also includes projected No. 1 pick Cooper Flagg and the 7th, 18th, 22nd and 37th ESPN recruits in Isaiah Evans, Patrick Ngongba, Kon Knueppel and Darren Harris.

Maluach picked Duke after also taking official visits to Kentucky, Kansas and UCLA, as well as offers from G League Ignite and the Australian NBL’s Next Stars program. He will headline the World team at the Nike Hoop Summit in Portland, Oregon, next month, giving him a chance to compete against Flagg, Ngongba and Evans for the first time.

“That’s going to be something exciting. I expect it to be great competition going up against future teammates. We’ll get to build our bond stronger after that. This is a big platform to showcase our talent.”

Maluach helped his native country of South Sudan qualify for the Paris Olympics this summer as a 16-year-old, becoming one of the youngest players in FIBA World Cup history.

He was MVP of the NBA’s Basketball Without Borders (BWB) Africa camp last summer, and then was named playoff and defensive MVP at the BWB Global camp in Indianapolis during All-Star Weekend last month.

“I’m trying to get better every stop I’m on,” Maluach said. “That’s my main goal. To always be 1 percent better than yesterday. Staying close to God to keep me healthy and keep my process clean. I pray every day to keep my journey safe and keep pushing me daily.”

Maluach, who turns 18 in September, has only been playing basketball for five years, but has made rapid improvement since joining the NBA Academy Africa in 2021. He’s a competent shooter and emphatic finisher who displays coveted versatility defensively covering ground on the perimeter and blocking shots with excellent timing. He measured a 9-foot-8 standing reach in Indianapolis last month, which would eclipse the figures posted by stalwarts Victor Wembanyama and Rudy Gobert before entering the NBA.

“I use that length to block shots, go get rebounds and dunk the ball whenever I can. I love watching basketball. I watch a lot of Giannis [Antetokounmpo], Joel Embiid. Victor. Chet [Holmgren]. Anthony Davis. I watch everybody. I try to see what players are good at and learn from them.”

Maluach is considered the best prospect to come out of the NBA Academy Africa, established in 2017, and hopes to become the first program graduate to be drafted.

“The NBA Academy has played a big role in my development,” Maluach said. “They made me realize my potential, how good I can be and how great I am going to be. They developed my body and the mental side, on and off the court. I built bonds with coaches, players and staff. It’s a long list of people from different countries in Africa, that are also trying to put Africa on the map. I want to be remembered as somebody who gave his best. Who represented Africa, my country, my family and the NBA Academy too.”

The NBA currently has four academies: in Delhi, India; San Luis Potosi, Mexico; and Saly, Senegal; as well as its Global Academy in Canberra, Australia, which serves as the hub for elite prospects.

NBA Global Academy alumnus Josh Giddey was the No. 6 pick in the 2021 NBA draft, while Bennedict Mathurin (NBA Academy Latin America) and Dyson Daniels (Global) were selected sixth and eighth, respectively, in the 2022 NBA draft. Olivier-Maxence Prosper (Latin America) was drafted 24th in 2023.

Jonathan Givony is an NBA draft expert and the founder and co-owner of DraftExpress.com, a private scouting and analytics service utilized by NBA, NCAA and International teams.