He was one of three South Sudanese players who did not come on in the loss to Puerto Rico. But for Khaman Maluach, the third youngest player in history to participate in a World Cup, at the height of his 16 years, the important thing is to become familiar with the very high level.
“The future of Khaman is bright, everyone can see it” explains Luol Deng, president of the South Sudanese basketball federation, at ESPN. “He’s going to be a great player and it’s exciting to think that people are going to see him play at the World Cup. It will be a great experience for him. »
A member for two years of the NBA Africa Academy based in Senegal, Khaman Maluach has indeed been attracting the attention of NBA scouts for some time. It must be said that his size (2m18), his mobility, his blocking talents but also the skills he displays in the shoot logically have something to intrigue the leaders of the Great League.
“He has a great sense of the game” assures Luol Deng. “He is really aware of what is happening on the pitch, and a lot of talent. He has already made great progress. At the same time, he still has to improve, on everything. »
It’s because Khaman Maluach only got serious about basketball four years ago.
“That’s what makes it scary. He still has so much room for improvement. But he has a great state of mind, he smiles all the time and he wants to learn. continues Luol Deng, who has known him for several years and tries to protect him. “Everyone likes to be around them, and that’s why his integration was so easy. »
The South Sudanese giant should finish high school in 2025 and could then present himself in the Draft, in order to be the first African basketball player drafted in the NBA directly from Africa. But he could also choose to harden up in the NCAA, where several prestigious programs (Duke, UCLA, Georgetown) have already offered him scholarships.
