 Maluach withDuke in 2025 | |
| No. 10 – Phoenix Suns | |
|---|---|
| Position | Center |
| League | NBA |
| Personal information | |
| Born | (2006-09-14)14 September 2006 (age 19) Rumbek, Sudan(now South Sudan) |
| Listed height | 7 ft 1 in (2.16 m) |
| Listed weight | 250 lb (113 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school |
|
| College | Duke (2024–2025) |
| NBA draft | 2025: 1st round, 10th overall pick |
| Drafted by | Houston Rockets |
| Playing career | 2022–present |
| Career history | |
| 2022 | Cobra Sport |
| 2023 | AS Douanes |
| 2024 | City Oilers |
| 2025–present | Phoenix Suns |
| Career highlights | |
| |
Stats at NBA.com  | |
| Stats atBasketball Reference | |
Khaman Madit Maluach (born 14 September 2006) is a South Sudanese professionalbasketball player for thePhoenix Suns of theNational Basketball Association (NBA). He playedcollege basketball for theDuke Blue Devils. Standing at 7 ft 1 in (2.16 m), he plays thecenter position. He is also a current member of theSouth Sudan national team, which he joined at the age of 16.[1]
Born inRumbek,Sudan (nowSouth Sudan), Maluach grew up inKawempe, in neighbouringUganda, as a refugee with his siblings and mother. He attended Bethel Covenant College in Bwebajja.[2][3]
In 2019, Maluach was encouraged to play basketball by aboda boda motorcyclist who had stopped down when he saw the tall Maluach walking along the road. He attended a local camp organised byLuol Deng and started playing basketball.[4] He later joined theNBA Academy Africa inSaly, Senegal, where basketball is combined with education.[citation needed]
On 6 March 2024, Maluach announced his commitment toDuke. Ranked as the third-best prospect in the 2025NBA draft byESPN at the time, he chose Duke overUCLA,Kentucky, andKansas.[5] He stated that this was due to the impressionZion Williamson had on him when he was younger.[6] Maluach opted to play with number 9, honouringLuol Deng.[7] He would be joined by two other top-rated prospects inCooper Flagg andKon Knueppel (both of whom would later end up being top-5 selections in the2025 NBA draft) during the season he was with Duke. Maluach averaged 8.6 points on 71.2% shooting, as well as 6.6 rebounds and 1.3 blocks per game at Duke.[7]
Maluach played for the South Sudanese professional teamCobra Sport in the2022 BAL season, as part of the BAL Elevate program. Through this programme, one NBA Academy Africa player was assigned to eachBasketball Africa League (BAL) team on an amateur contract.[8] He made his BAL debut on 9 April 2022 against defending championsZamalek, scoring two points and recording two rebounds in seven minutes.[9]
In March 2023, Maluach played in his second BAL season after he was drafted first among the academy prospects[2] by theAS Douanes, the defending Senegalese champions. The Douanes reached thefinal, in which Maluach started and contributed 2 points and 4 rebounds, as they lost toAl Ahly.[10]
He attended the 2023Basketball Without Borders inJohannesburg, South Africa, and was named the camp's MVP.[11][12]
On 4 March 2024, it was announced that Maluach was drafted by the Ugandan clubCity Oilers for the2024 BAL season.[13] On 19 April, Maluach had 16 points and 8 rebounds in his Oilers debut in a 76–99 loss toAl Ahly.[14] One day later, on 20 April, Maluach set new career-highs with 29 points and 11 rebounds in a 88–101 loss againstBangui.[15] On 24 April, Maluach had 16 points, 19 rebounds and 7 blocks in a 68–79 loss toAl-Ahly Ly.[16] His 19 rebounds set a new career-high, and his 7 blocks set a then league record for most blocksby any player in a BAL game.[17] Despite the Oilers being eliminated, Maluach averaged 17.5 points, a league-leading 13.5 rebounds, and 2.8 blocks per game over his six performances.[18]
On 25 June 2025, Maluach was drafted 10th overall by theHouston Rockets in the2025 NBA draft; however, he was traded to thePhoenix Suns as part of theKevin Durant trade that was finalized on 6 July 2025.[19] Alongside Maluach, the Suns acquiredJalen Green,Dillon Brooks, the draft rights toRasheer Fleming andKoby Brea, and a 2026 second-round pick, as part of a seven-team deal.[20] Maluach became the highest drafted player ever from theNBA Academy Africa, as well as from theBasketball Africa League (BAL).[21]
In August 2023, Maluach was selected for theSouth Sudan national team roster for the2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup. At age 16, he was the youngest player on the Bright Stars' roster.[1] On 28 August 2023, he made his debut in a victory againstChina, becoming the third-youngest player to appear in a World Cup game.[22] Maluach and South Sudan were the best-ranked African team in the tournament, and thus qualified for the2024 Summer Olympics inParis, another milestone in the national team’s history.[citation needed]
He played with South Sudan at the 2024 Olympics and was the youngest player in the tournament.[23] He averaged 0.7 points in 4.3 minutes per game over three games, playing a minor role for the Bright Stars.[24]
Maluach has a 7 ft 6.75 in (2.31 m)wing span, and has been praised for his work ethic and athletic abilities.[7]
| GP | Games played | GS | Games started | MPG | Minutes per game |
| FG% | Field goal percentage | 3P% | 3-point field goal percentage | FT% | Free throw percentage |
| RPG | Rebounds per game | APG | Assists per game | SPG | Steals per game |
| BPG | Blocks per game | PPG | Points per game | Bold | Career high |
| * | League leader during season |
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Cobra Sport | 5 | 0 | 11.8 | .364 | .000 | .500 | 3.4 | .6 | .2 | 1.0 | 2.2 |
| 2023 | AS Douanes | 7 | 2 | 11.5 | .346 | .250 | .667 | 4.4 | .4 | .3 | .4 | 3.4 |
| 2024[25] | City Oilers | 6 | 5 | 34.3 | .519 | .235 | .724 | 13.5* | .8 | .7 | 2.8 | 17.8 |
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024–25 | Duke | 39 | 39 | 21.2 | .712 | .250 | .766 | 6.6 | .5 | .2 | 1.3 | 8.6 |
· Basketball Reference