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March May Bring Another Huge Duke Basketball Recruiting Win
NBA Academy Africa big man and recent Duke basketball visitor Khaman Maluach, a projected one-and-done 2025 lottery pick, is eyeing a March decision, recruiting insider Adam Zagoria reported on Wednesday.
The 7-foot-1, 250-pound five-star, boasting a 7-foot-4 wingspan and 9-foot-8 standing reach, is the only remaining target on the Blue Devils' 2024 offer sheet.
Jon Scheyer and his staff hosted him in late January. And they may hold an advantage over Maluach's other contenders in the form of the mentorship he gets from 2003-04 Duke basketball one-and-done lottery pick Luol Deng, who coached the fellow South Sudan native last summer and is the president of the country's basketball federation.
Since visiting the Blue Devils, the first trip in his recruitment, Maluach has checked out UCLA, Kentucky, Kansas, and G League Ignite. So, it looks as though he's closing in on choosing either a certified blueblood or the pro route.
For now, the 247Sports Crystal Ball and On3 Recruiting Prediction Machine give Duke the edge.
It's worth noting that Scheyer's five-deep 2024 haul, the nation's top-ranked class at this juncture, already includes a 6-foot-11, 235-pound formidable center in Paul VI Catholic (Va.) five-star Patrick Ngongba II.
But to some, the difference is Maluach, drawing comparisons to a young Joel Embiid, looks about as ACC-ready as they come. His skills and instincts on both ends of the floor make it hard to believe the 17-year-old has been hooping for only about four years.
Fortunately for Ngongba, not to mention the Blue Devils' chances in the Maluach sweepstakes, the forecast for next season in Durham calls for plenty of minutes to be up for grabs in the post. After all, graduate big man Ryan Young's eligibility expires this go-round, and 7-foot sophomore Kyle Filipowski is a projected 2024 lottery pick.
Stay tuned to Blue Devil Country on SI.com for more on Khaman Maluach and other Duke basketball recruiting news.