Duke's Khaman Maluach won hearts everywhere during the NBA Draft. At first, he was selected by the Houston Rockets before being traded to the Phoenix Suns.

Upon his selection, Maluach became visibly emotional as he reflected on this moment. The native of Sudan said he felt as though he was carrying the weight of Africa on his shoulders.

“Living in Africa, I had the whole continent on my back…” he said.

Afterward, Maluach soaked it all in and credited his family for their support.

“It's a day I will never forget in my life… I was just so happy that my family was out there with me,” Maluach said.

Former Duke teammate and No. 1 pick Cooper Flagg was exuberant when Maluach got drafted. “That's what I needed” he said calmly but excited.

The 7'2 Maluach is known for his athleticism, rim protection, and the ability to finish inside. Last year, he finished with Duke averaging 8.6 points and 6.6 rebounds per game.

Duke made it all the way to the Final Four before losing to the Houston Cougars 70-67 in the semifinal.

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Prior to Duke, Maluach played professional in Sudan. He played for the South Sudanese team Cobra Sport of the Basketball Africa League (BAL) in 2022.

The next year, Maluach played for AS Douanes in Senegal and City Oilers of the Ugandan National Basketball League (UNBL) in 2024.

In six games, Maluach averaged 17.5 points and a league leading 13.5 rebounds for the City Oilers.

Now, he will become part of a lineage of great NBA players to come from the motherland.

Khaman Maluach and other NBA players from Africa

Maluach is next in line to carry the torch passed on by other African NBA players. One of the most famous is Dikembe Mutombo, a native of Zaire now the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Mutombo played 18 years in the NBA and became one of the most beloved players in history. He passed away in September 2024 from cancer.

The other big name was Hakeem Olajuwon, one of the greatest centers ever from Nigeria. Olajuwon also played 18 years in the NBA and won titles in 1994 and 1995 with the Rockets.

Another player Maluach is following in the footsteps of includes fellow Sudanese player Luol Deng. Deng played 15 years in the NBA.

In fact, Maluach got his start in basketball at a young by attending a camp hosted by Deng.