Former Duke Basketball Center Receives Invitation to NBA Draft

Duke basketball product Khaman Maluach will sit in the green room along with two fellow Blue Devils.

Former Duke basketball center Khaman Maluach / David Banks-Imagn Images

Despite not taking up the sport until he was a teenager, Duke basketball one-and-done Khaman Maluach has earned a coveted invitation to attend the NBA Draft and sit in the event's green room.

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Following his freshman campaign with the Blue Devils, Maluach chose to enter his name into the draft process and is projected to come off the board in the lottery, seemingly with a chance to climb as high as the top five by the time the event takes place in Brooklyn's Barclays Center, June 25-26.

The 7-foot-2 big man from South Sudan started all 39 games he appeared in for the Duke basketball program, having committed to the Blue Devils in part due to his relationship with his mentor and former Blue Devil forward, Luol Deng.

Just 18 years old, Maluach averaged 8.6 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks while serving as a steadying presence inside the paint while he continued developing his skills.

Watched Duke’s Khaman Maluach work out in Chicago. Fascinating prospect on a unique trajectory from South Sudan. At 7’2 with a 7’7 wingspan, he has the tools to anchor both ends and a joyful personality that lights up a room. pic.twitter.com/yvmY1K9gp4

— Jacob Myers (@League_Him) May 20, 2025

Maluach has recently shown off an improved jumper through the pre-draft process. That could elevate his game at the next level if he can truly take the steps to become a stretch big man in his first few years as a professional.

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