South Sudan put on a show ahead of and during the Paris Olympics. Despite the bittersweet ending, they’ve made a name for their team and their nation. Indeed, they were arguably the most popular team in Lille, earning praise throughout.
With the party now over, many of their players are preparing for the next leg in their basketball journey. For Khaman Maluach, this is his freshman season at Duke. For Marial Shayok, a college teammate of Team USA guard Tyrese Haliburton, it could be a return stateside.
That being said, there are a handful of South Sudan players whose spectacular play in France could lead them to the NBA.
South Sudan Players Who Could Make NBA Jump After Olympics
Carlik Jones
South Sudan point guard Carlik Jones has been the team’s engine the past two years.
In the 2023 FIBA World Cup, the 26-year-old averaged 20.4 points, 10.4 assists, and 1.2 steals per game to get the Bright Stars into the Paris Olympics. Once there, he averaged 18.0 points, 7.7 assists, and 1.0 steal per game as the team’s best triple threat.
This hasn’t led to him signing an NBA contract obviously.
In 2023-24, Jones played for the CBA’s Zhejiang Chouzhou. In late July, he signed a contract with Serbia’s KK Partizan. However, as Partizan’s regular season ends on Apr. 10, an NBA team could add him to the roster ahead of the 2025 NBA Playoffs.
The 2024-25 NBA regular season ends on Apr. 13.
If signed, Jones won’t be a rookie; he’s played a handful of NBA games in a two-season stretch. Yet, he was relegated to the G League for the majority of that time. He excelled there too though. In 57 contests, Jones averaged 23.2 points, 7.3 assists, and 1.5 steals per game.
The savvy floor general is good enough to be in the NBA. He just needs the right opportunity.
Bul Kuol
South Sudan forward Bul Kuol wasn’t the star of the show. However, his timely shot-making and 3-and-D skillset at 6-foot-7 should have caught teams’ eyes.
Kuol averaged 13.0 points per game for the Bright Stars, the mark held by Brazil’s Bruno Caboclo, a 2024 Olympic Qualifying Tournament MVP. More impressively, he made an eye-popping 60.0 percent of his field goals and 72.7 percent of his 3s. Also contributing 1.7 steals per game to a tenacious defense, his two-way impact shouldn’t be ignored.
Neither should his overall body of work. In college, Kuol made 42.6 percent of his 3-pointers. After bypassing his final season of college eligibility in 2021-22, he was named the 2022 NBL Rookie of the Year. In 2023-24, Kuol averaged 12.7 points per game on 40.8 percent shooting from 3 for the NBL’s Cairns.
Peter Jok
Peter Jok is another South Sudan wing who lets it fly.
At 30 years old, he’ll soon be exiting his physical prime. However, as his game is predicated on his touch from outside, this isn’t too problematic. To that point, with teams placing heavy emphasis on the 3-ball, many are looking for a knockdown shooter. Meanwhile, Jok made 45.5 percent of his 3-point attempts in the Paris Olympics.
Yet, as is true of much of Africa’s top talent, he isn’t new to the scene. In 2013, Jok was named Mr. Iowa Basketball and a Parade First Team All-American after a standout career at Valley High School. In his final two college seasons, he was named to the All-Big 10 team.
If signed, Jok won’t be an unfamiliar face. Like Jones, he’s played a sizable amount of games in the G League. Even there though, he’s been on his Yusuf Dikec. In 78 contests, he’s made 39.9 percent of his 3s.
Nuni Omot
Nuni Omot’s most memorable moment of the Olympics came against Team USA in their highly anticipated rematch. Scoring a team-high 24 points, the Bright Stars’ emotional leader made it hard for a star-laden team to get comfortable. He played so well that he was even thinking about an NBA contract right after the game.
Any team that gives me a chance, I promise you won’t regret it. 🙏🏿 https://t.co/zAaPdv1fBx
— Nuni (@nuniomot21) August 2, 2024
At 6-foot-9, Omot isn’t necessarily explosive, but he’s shrewd. In fact, he shares this in common with Team USA forward Kevin Durant. Though the future Hall of Famer is a bit taller than Omot, neither attacks with reckless abandon.
For South Sudan, this is to their benefit. Omot averaged 16.7 points per game while shooting 38.9 percent from 3 in Paris. The 29-year-old also averaged 2.0 steals per game. A two-end player with a knack for scoring at either the 3-point or free-throw line, Omot looked like a player who could legitimately help a team win at the NBA level.
