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Duke Basketball Looks Like Near Lock to Land Five-Star Big Man
Recent history suggests that national recruiting insider Travis Branham, batting 30-for-30 with predictions on the 2024 trail, typically doesn't enter a 247Sports Crystal Ball pick until he has real intel regarding a recruit's decision. Well, on Tuesday evening, he forecasted Duke basketball to reel in NBA Academy Africa center Khaman Maluach.
And Branham did so with a "high" tag in the confidence column. That brings the number of Crystal Ball predictions to four in the Maluach sweepstakes.
They all point to the Blue Devils prevailing over Kansas, Kentucky, UCLA, and G League Ignite for the 7-foot-1, 250-pound five-star from South Sudan.
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The expectation is that Maluach, who reclassified to 2024 and is now a projected one-and-done 2025 lottery pick due to his size, length, agility, and multifaceted repertoire, will reveal his choice this month. On that note, it's worth pointing out that Branham's picks often pop up within days of an announcement.
In other words, Duke basketball fans should be on official commitment watch.
Second-year head coach Jon Scheyer and his gang look to add to the program's top-ranked 2024 haul, which already includes four five-star prospects, including the No. 1 high school senior in phenom forward Cooper Flagg, plus a top-shelf four-star.
Khaman Maluach is absent from the 247Sports 2024 Composite due to his current international status. However, On3 ranks him No. 9 overall and No. 2 among big men in the class.
Stay tuned to Blue Devil Country on SI.com for more Duke basketball recruiting news.