Raleigh, North Carolina – On Wednesday, Jon Scheyer, the head coach of Duke men’s basketball, formally revealed Khaman Maluach’s inclusion in the Blue Devils’ 2024 recruiting class.
Maluach, a seven-foot-2, 250-pound centre from Senegal’s NBA Academy Africa, is a five-star recruit according to 247Sports, who ranks him as the third overall prospect and the best centre. According to 247Sports, he is the seventh potential Blue Devil listed in the top 20.
Maluach helped his home nation of South Sudan get a spot in the Olympics in Paris this summer. In addition to being chosen as the playoff and defence MVP at the NBA’s Basketball Without Borders (BWB) Global camp in February and April, he was awarded MVP of the NBA’s Basketball Without Borders (BWB) Africa camp the previous summer.
“I am really excited to welcome Khaman Maluach to Duke,” stated Scheyer. “Khaman joins us from NBA Academy Africa and South Sudan, bringing amazing talents and a fresh perspective to our programme. Khaman is 7’2″ and has excellent ball handling, rim protection, and inside-out scoring ability. When I saw him during the recruiting process, his outspoken leadership, the intensity and zest he plays with, and his dedication to winning over individual statistics stuck out to me. After Khaman competes in the Olympics this summer alongside Luol Deng and the South Sudanese National Team, we can’t wait to start working with him.”
Maluach, a 17-year-old who has only been playing basketball for the past five years, has improved quickly since enrolling in the NBA Academy Africa in 2021 thanks to his 7-foot-5 wingspan and 9-foot-8 standing reach as well as the guidance of Deng, a former Duke player, NBA All-Star, and president of the South Sudan Basketball Federation.
Maluach, who committed to Duke on March 6, will be joining five-star recruit Darren Harris (6-6, G/F, Fairfax, Va./Paul VI Catholic), four-star recruit Isaiah Evans (6-6, G/F, Huntersville, N.C./North Mecklenburg HS), Patrick Ngongba II (6-11, C, Fairfax, Va./Paul VI Catholic), and Cooper Flagg (6-9, F, Newport, Maine/Montverde Academy) as fellow future Blue Devils.
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Duke Centennial
Duke University will commemorate its centenary in 2024, commemorating the year that Trinity College changed its name to Duke University. With the help of this momentous occasion, Duke hopes to enhance the public’s awareness of its past, foster a sense of pride, fortify relationships, and lay the groundwork for a second century of sustained excellence and influential leadership.