South Sudan's Khaman Maluach fulfills basketball dream in NBA Draft

NEW YORK — “It was so special. It’s so special to me. It’s a day I’ll never forget in my life.”

From being a refugee to bringing his talents to the NBA, South Sudan’s Khaman Maluach has just realized his basketball dream. 

With the 10th pick in the NBA Draft, the Phoenix Suns might have found their next starting big.

Maluach offers a unique mix of high upside and tools that can produce immediate impact on the court.

At 7-foot-2 with a 7-foot-6 wingspan, his length promises indomitable presence in the paint that will make life rough for team offenses. His growth and overall game will go as far as he can take it, and if you have been following his journey, you know this kid has the right mindset to do it.

“It’s not rocket science, it’s not crazy, it’s not magic. It’s just you getting in the gym and working hard and staying true to yourself. And not cheating the game of basketball,” Maluach said in an interview. 

This maturity and understanding of the process come from a non-basketball source and are rooted on his personal experiences in life.

He was raised as a refugee in Uganda after his family fled the conflict in South Sudan at a young age. His initial sport was football until he started to grow and transition to basketball. He reached 6-foot-7 at 13 years old, which is also when he got his start in his present sport. 

“I think my story is a testimony that no matter how much the odds are against you, you can still make it. So I think my story is a testimony," he said.

At the moment he was picked in the draft, Khaman was surrounded by his family, his support system, and the people who have gone through the ups and downs with him — most of them in tears, indicating the gravity of this experience for all of them. 

It took a few stops to get to this point. One of the most notable ones was his experience in the FIBA World Cup in Manila. He broke into the scene and became part of the South Sudan national team as a teenager. At 16, he played against grown men, the best and toughest players in the world. 

His journey in international basketball continued when South Sudan qualified for the Olympics for the first time. On an even bigger stage, he showed off his wares against top players, including team USA. 

“Those experiences of course shaped me to who I am. Those are some of the experiences I had. Being able to play against professional players. Being able to watch them step on the floor. Being able to see them take care of their bodies and bounce back was great for me. And I think it put me in a good place mentally," Maluach said about his time with the national team.

After his international stint, he committed to one of the best basketball programs in all of college basketball in Duke University. Here, he joined a loaded recruiting class, including this year’s number 1 pick, Cooper Flagg. Together, they wreaked havoc in college hoops and finished in the Final Four.

“My time at Duke prepared me for everything. Prepared me for the next step. I’m glad I came here earlier to get to see all this. I learned a lot of lessons and I enjoyed every moment that I spent in Duke.”

“They made it easier for me, being able to play with such good players like that. Good players who know the game. Guys who have played the game. Them being able to guide me, to tell me the positions I needed to be in to be able to impact the game was great. Being able to play with them made my job easier.”

Khaman knows that the journey is just beginning and there is work to be done.

“I’m working on my overall game. I’ve been in the gym all the time. I don’t have a specific spot that I’ll be like, I’m gonna focus on one thing. I’m focusing on two or three other things at the same time. I mean I started basketball late so I gotta catch up.”

More than basketball, however, he feels the weight of representing not just South Sudan, but the entire continent of Africa and he is fully embracing this responsibility. 

By getting drafted at no. 10, he made history for his continent as the highest-drafted former NBA Academy Africa and Basketball Africa League player ever.

“I think about showing them the good parts of Africa. I’m thinking about showing them the great places in Africa. I just wanna change the narrative of our people and how they see my continent.”

—JKC, GMA Integrated News