OLYMPIC GAMES | BASKETBALL
Who is South Sudan center Khaman Maluach? College, age, stats, height
The 17-year-old Duke commit caught the eye in his nation’s pre-Olympics warm-up game against Team USA.
A star-studded Team USA is expected to take home gold at this summer’s Olympic Games in Paris but they struggled against a resolute South Sudan in a warm-up game on Saturday.
South Sudan ran up a 15-point lead in the second quarter and played with real confidence, sinking their shot from outside the paint and causing a major scare. One of the stars of the show for the Sudanese was 17-year-old center Khaman Maluach, who impressed against Team USA.
South Sudan are coached by former Atlanta Hawks star Royal Ivey and they boast two players with NBA experience in their roster: Carlik Jones and Wenyen Gabriel. This year’s tournament will be South Sudan’s first-ever appearance in the Olympics’ basketball competition and it looks like they will be a tough opponent, whoever they face.
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How tall is Khaman Maluach?
He may only be 17 years old, but the Rumbek-born center is already an imposing figure on the court. His listed height is 7ft 2in (2.18m), while his weight is listed at 250lb (113kg).
Maluch joined the NBA Academy Africa in Saly, Sengal in 2019 and currently played for the Basketball Africa League team City Oilers. He was the league’s rebounding leader for 2024.
Is Khaman Maluach a college commit?
Given his prodigious talent and extraordinary frame, it’s no surprise the learn that Maluach already has a college spot lined up. He is set to join Duke University this fall, joining the Blue Devils’ prestigious basketball program.
Understandably, he is still raw but he already possesses impressive fluidity on his feet and is a fearless defender inside the paint. His passing is fairly good and he knows how to shoot, a real rarity in a player of his stature.
Maluach is rated as a five-star recruit and the No. 1-ranked center of his cohort. He turned down offers from the likes of Kentucky, Kansas and Kentucky to join Duke and could well find himself in the professional game before too long.
“[Joel Embiid] was 17 and he was raw. Khaman is 10 times better,” NBA Africa Academy assistant technical director Joe Touomou told ESPN. “By the time he is 20, he is going to be a very, very good player. That’s the beauty of the academy. Now, we can identify players at a young age and give them a platform to develop and be exposed to competitions like Road to BAL.”