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.”
Maluach — projected by ESPN as the No. 3 pick in the 2025 NBA draft — is considered the top big man in the class of 2024, adding to one of the most impressive recruiting classes assembled in recent memory by head coach Jon Scheyer. It also includes projected No. 1 pick Cooper Flagg and the 7th, 18th, 22nd and 37th ESPN recruits in Isaiah Evans, Patrick Ngongba, Kon Knueppel and Darren Harris.
Maluach picked Duke after also taking official visits to Kentucky, Kansas and UCLA, as well as offers from G League Ignite and the Australian NBL’s Next Stars program. He will headline the World team at the Nike Hoop Summit in Portland, Oregon, next month, giving him a chance to compete against Flagg, Ngongba and Evans for the first time.
“That’s going to be something exciting. I expect it to be great competition going up against future teammates. We’ll get to build our bond stronger after that. This is a big platform to showcase our talent.”
Maluach helped his native country of South Sudan qualify for the Paris Olympics this summer as a 16-year-old, becoming one of the youngest players in FIBA World Cup history.
He was MVP of the NBA’s Basketball Without Borders (BWB) Africa camp last summer, and then was named playoff and defensive MVP at the BWB Global camp in Indianapolis during All-Star Weekend last month.
“I’m trying to get better every stop I’m on,” Maluach said. “That’s my main goal. To always be 1 percent better than yesterday. Staying close to God to keep me healthy and keep my process clean. I pray every day to keep my journey safe and keep pushing me daily.”
Maluach, who turns 18 in September, has only been playing basketball for five years, but has made rapid improvement since joining the NBA Academy Africa in 2021. He’s a competent shooter and emphatic finisher who displays coveted versatility defensively covering ground on the perimeter and blocking shots with excellent timing. He measured a 9-foot-8 standing reach in Indianapolis last month, which would eclipse the figures posted by stalwarts Victor Wembanyama and Rudy Gobert before entering the NBA.
“I use that length to block shots, go get rebounds and dunk the ball whenever I can. I love watching basketball. I watch a lot of Giannis [Antetokounmpo], Joel Embiid. Victor. Chet [Holmgren]. Anthony Davis. I watch everybody. I try to see what players are good at and learn from them.”
Maluach is considered the best prospect to come out of the NBA Academy Africa, established in 2017, and hopes to become the first program graduate to be drafted.
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