Blue Devil Country

Gigantic Duke Basketball Rookie Gives Wake-Up Call to Team USA

Khaman Maluach has the potential to take Duke basketball to another level next season.

Matt Giles

Duke basketball
Duke basketball / Rob Kinnan-USA TODAY Sports
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Duke basketball freshman center Khaman Maluach is playing for his home country of South Sudan gearing up for the 2024 Paris Olympic Games beginning next weekend.

And on Saturday afternoon, the 7-foot-2, 250-pound five-star, a mere 17-year-old facing NBA greats galore, helped power South Sudan to a shocking 58-44 halftime lead over Duke basketball product Jayson Tatum and heavily favored Team USA in their exhibition bout in London.

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Check out Maluach's dunk in transition, highlighting his impressive fleet-footed abilities for a player his size:

Midway through the third quarter, Maluach showed off his range, smoothly knocking down this 3-pointer from the corner over Los Angeles Lakers star Anthony Davis to protect South Sudan's lead:

A minute later, he saved a loose ball to spark another South Sudan possession.

When this article was published, South Sudan trailed Team USA, 81-76, at the end of the third quarter, and Maluach had tallied seven points, shooting 3-for-3 from the field and 1-for-1 from three, along with three rebounds and one block in his 10 minutes off the bench.

At No. 6 overall on the 247Sports 2024 Composite, Khaman Maluach, who has been trained by 2003-04 Duke basketball one-and-done and South Sudan Basketball Federation president Luol Deng, ranks second among the six Duke basketball rookies who arrived in Durham this summer at No. 1 overall in the national class rankings.

The top Blue Devil newcomer, of course, is phenom forward Cooper Flagg, who shined against Team USA during training camp earlier this month. He ranks No. 1 among the nation's incoming freshmen.

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Matt Giles

MATT GILES

Matt Giles is the editor and publisher of Duke Blue Devils on SI, North Carolina Tar Heels on SI, and NC State Wolfpack on SI, making him a key source for comprehensive coverage of these storied college basketball programs. Since joining SI in 2022, Matt has been dedicated to providing in-depth analysis, breaking news, and exclusive content on all three teams. He covers everything from game previews and recaps to player profiles and recruiting updates. Matt's expert knowledge of these teams has made his work a go-to resource for fans and followers of Duke, NC State, and UNC. As publisher, he shapes the editorial direction, ensuring that the most relevant and timely information reaches his audience.

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