Khaman Maluach committed to Duke later than the rest of his class but the impact was just as great. Maluach found himself as the starter from the jump and consistently improved through the season. Now, Khaman Maluach will head to the 2025 NBA Draft.
Khaman Maluach 2025 NBA Draft Profile
College Career
Maluach was one of the more polarizing players in his college class. The big man from South Sudan came with very minimal organized basketball experience but the word on the street was he was drastically further along than Joel Embiid at the same point in their basketball careers. That obviously gets ears perked.
Maluach averaged 8.6 points per game, 6.6 rebounds per game, 0.5 assists per game, and 1.3 blocks per game. He continued to improve throughout the season as he was more comfortable playing on the big stage. At 7’2 250 pounds with a baby face, Maluach is continuing to grow into his body.
Strengths
Maluach often beats his defender down the floor and has a great rim running ability. Bigs that can run are special because they add an additional strain to the defense regardless of offensive ability. He often finds himself filling the lane while the Duke guards are looking to him for easy dunks. That translates well to the NBA.
It is hard to watch a Duke game without noticing many shots around the rim being altered. Even though Maluach did not block a ton of shots (2nd on the team to Flagg), he did really well protecting the rim with his length. His insane 7’ 6” wingspan and 9’ 8” standing reach mean that he is always in the way. Just ask Alabama who were woeful when going up against Maluach. Duke often held opponents to 20-30 points below season averages which starts with Maluach at the rim.
Maluach did not take a ton of jumpshots this season, mostly because he did not have to. However, he shot a nice clip from the free throw line (77%) and knocked down 4 of 16 open threes. Many videos surfaced of his pregame warm ups where he often was stringing together many jumpers in a row. Shooting won’t be a strong suit off the rip but he will be a very capable shooter as his career develops.
No other prospect in this year’s NBA Draft matches Khaman Maluach’s physical tools and long-term promise as a two-way anchor. Still early in his development, the Duke freshman has shown growth throughout the year and is the nation’s most efficient P&R partner, per Synergy. pic.twitter.com/ShkdXbysuo
— Jacob Myers (@League_Him) March 12, 2025
Weaknesses
Maluach shot a great percentage from the field but the vast majority of his buckets were dunks or lobs. He occasionally struggled with his touch around the rim and did not succeed with many post moves or layups. He will not be able to dunk everything in the NBA so he must learn how to finish with a go-to post move.
Part of the reason Maluach lacked finishing ability is because of his slight frame. Maluach was knocked off balance early and often in the season. He struggled to post up because he could not hold his position and defenders were easily able to manipulate him. As the season went on, his strength increased and it was noticeable that he was living in the weight room. Regardless, continuing to develop strength and balance will be crucial
Lastly, his inconsistency was evident all year. Look no further than the NCAA Tournament. Maluach was excellent against Alabama and then had his worst game of the year against Houston. Maluach went 21 minutes without recording a single rebound and was a -20 in a 3 point loss. That cannot happen as a starting center with great size. His frame is a major reason why this happens though. Also, rebounding is all about effort so his needs to increase.
NBA Player Comparison
Serge Ibaka. The floor is Clint Capela. Many have said that Maluach is far ahead of Joel Embiid at this stage in his development so the ceiling is limitless. Regardless, Maluach will have a rim protecting presence right away and further develop into a stretch big as Ibaka did.
NBA Draft Projection
Top 10.
© Bob Donnan-Imagn Images
