Another one.
On Wednesday afternoon, 7-foot-1 five-star center Khaman Maluach committed to join the Blue Devils this upcoming season, per ESPN's Jonathan Givony. His commitment — the sixth in Duke's 2024 class — contributes further to a loaded bunch of newcomers that includes the country's top prospect, Cooper Flagg, and ranks first nationally. A native of South Sudan, Maluach is a projected top-five pick in the 2025 NBA Draft and is ranked third in the class of 2024 by 247Sports.
Maluach, a product of the NBA Academy Africa, is one of the most talented frontcourt prospects in years, featuring a nearly 10-foot reach and a versatile brand of basketball that enables him to score from inside and out. His play style has drawn ample comparisons with 2023 top-pick Victor Wembanyama, whose towering frame and ability to contribute across the court make him a near impossible task for opposing teams to prepare for and defend. He's also a supremely talented defender with elite positional awareness.
On the international stage, Maluach helped South Sudan qualify for the 2024 Paris Olympics as a 16-year-old and was one of the youngest players in FIBA World Cup history. He was named MVP of the NBA's Basketball Without Borders Africa camp in 2023 and the defensive MVP at the BWB Global camp in Indianapolis, and figures to be the first prospect from the NBA Academy Africa to be drafted. All this is made even crazier by the fact that he didn't touch a basketball until five years ago.
Maluach chose the Blue Devils over the likes of Kentucky, UCLA and Kansas.
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Andrew Long is a Trinity junior and sports editor of The Chronicle's 119th volume.