Duke basketball has a stud. South Sudanese big man Khaman Maluach has Blue Devils fans buzzing after an impressive performance against Team USA on Saturday. Maluach had 7 points in 12 minutes of action for his South Sudan team that pushed Team USA to the brink. The American team came up on top of South Sudan, by a 101-100 score.

Maluach is one of several talents on the South Sudan squad. Another is Marial Shayok, who played college basketball at Iowa State and other stops in college. Duke basketball has Maluach coming into the fold this season, with fellow big man Cooper Flagg. It will be a terror for opposing teams to have to go against these formidable big men.

Maluach ran the floor with ease on Saturday against Team USA, putting up some impressive highlights for Duke basketball fans.

Maluach is a 17-year-old forward/center, who clocks in at 7-foot-2, and 250 pounds. Maluach held his own against Team USA's Anthony Davis and others, in their contest on Saturday. He also showcased a beautiful jump shot.

Duke basketball fans will keep an eye on this South Sudan team surely as the Paris Olympics take flight on July 26.

Duke basketball is a favorite to win the national championship

Duke Blue Devils head coach Jon Scheyer reacts in the second half against the North Carolina State Wolfpack in the finals of the South Regional of the 2024 NCAA Tournament at American Airline Center.
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Duke basketball has a great group of freshmen this incoming season. The Blue Devils landed the no. 1 prospect in the country in Cooper Flagg, who is seen as a one-and-done player. Flagg is the centerpiece of a class that includes Maluach, and some other talented young players. There are six freshmen in this year's class for Duke that are either four or five-star prospects.

The Blue Devils are looking to win a national championship under head coach Jon Scheyer, for the first time in his tenure at the school. Scheyer is on a crusade to keep Duke basketball at the pinnacle of the sport. The school saw unprecedented success with coach Mike Krzyzewski, who won five national championships in Durham, North Carolina.

The Blue Devils reached the NCAA Elite Eight last season, before bowing to North Carolina State. There are high expectations for this year's team, with all of these diaper dandies on the roster. Duke basketball is quite likely going to be in the top 10 of the preseason Associated Press college basketball poll. The team has a tough non conference schedule, including meetings with Kansas and Kentucky. Those contests will test the mettle of this young squad before ACC conference play. The Blue Devils have to be one of the contenders to compete for a conference and then national championship.

It's uncertain how many minutes Maluach will play on this year's squad, but Duke fans are certainly happy with what they see from their young big man. It seems he has quite a promising future ahead of him.