Blue Devil Country

Duke Basketball Pledge '10 Times Better' Than NBA MVP Was at 17

One of Duke basketball’s most promising recruits is making waves with his superhuman performances in the Basketball Africa League.

Cam Robertson

Duke basketball recruiting commit Khaman Maluach
Duke basketball recruiting commit Khaman Maluach / NBA Academy
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While five of Duke basketball’s six incoming freshmen showcased their skills at Sunday night’s Jordan Brand Classic, five-star Khaman Maluach was busy preparing for a Monday matchup against grown men.

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Maluach, who plays for the Basketball Africa League’s City Oilers, put up an impressive stat line against a collection of older and experienced players in his team’s 79-68 defeat at the hands of Al Ahly Ly. The 7-foot-1 center finished with 16 points, 19 rebounds, and seven blocks in nearly 34 minutes of action as he continues to shine against professional players.

He made his BAL debut as a 15-year-old in 2022, beginning as a role player before blossoming into a full-grown star now at the age of 17. Part of that development has been due to the NBA Global Academy and assistant technical director Joe Touomou, who also played a role in the development of Joel Embiid, now a seven-time NBA All-Star and reigning league MVP.

“[Embiid] was 17, and he was raw," Touomou said to ESPN when comparing the two players' teenage skill sets. "Khaman [at 17] is 10 times better,"

Across just three contests in the BAL this season, Maluach is averaging an incredible 20.3 points, 13.0 rebounds, and 3.3 blocks per game as he continues to sharpen his game before heading to Durham for the Blue Devils' 2024-25 campaign.

Khaman Maluach, who ranks No. 6 overall on the 247Sports Composite, is just one of the heralded recruits who make up Duke basketball’s No. 1 recruiting class for next season.

He will join fellow composite five-stars Cooper Flagg, Isaiah Evans, Kon Knueppel, and Patrick Ngongba II, as well as four-star Darren Harris, as the freshmen newcomers in a Blue Devil uniform for Jon Scheyer's third season as head coach.

Stay tuned to Blue Devil Country on SI for more Duke basketball news.

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Cam Robertson
CAM ROBERTSON

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