NBA Draft News: 2025 Prospect Makes Anticipated Commitment
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With the Detroit Pistons out of playoff contention, they are focused on the future. With the 2024 NBA Draft approaching, the Pistons anticipate having one of the top picks. Depending on how next season plays out, they could be in that same picture for the exciting 2025 Draft as well.
One player Detroit will have to keep its eye on is the NBA Academy Africa prospect, Khaman Maluach. As the young big man is already near the top of many analysts’ draft boards, his next steps will be closely watched by rebuilding teams like the Pistons.
This week, Maluach made his commitment to an NCAA program. His path forward includes playing for Duke, according to a report from ESPN.
The big man explained his decision, citing strong relationships built with the coaches as the primary reason why he felt comfortable committing to the Blue Devils.
"Duke is home; that's where I belong." Maluach said. "This was the hardest decision I've ever made. I felt like I could succeed anywhere, but I was most comfortable going to Duke. All the schools that were recruiting me are big-time programs, but in terms of my development and the relationships I built with the coaches, they were the best.” via ESPN.
Maluach garnered interest from some of the top schools in the country, including Kansas, UCLA, and Kentucky. While taking a pro route was also viewed as a potential move for the center, the five-star recruit will indeed take the NCAA route to the NBA.
Depending on the direction the Pistons take in the 2024 NBA Draft, they could be in a prime position to potentially take a chance on the Sudan-born center. He might be a raw prospect who doesn’t have a ton of hoops experience under his belt at this point, but the talent has intrigued scouts and analysts enough to project Maluach as a future top-five selection.
