2025 NBA Draft: Khaman Maluach Has Elite Athletic Potential

The incoming Duke freshman played his basketball overseas, but has serious size and talent.

Mar 7, 2020; Durham, North Carolina, USA; A general overview of the Duke Blue Devils bench prior to a game against the North Carolina Tar Heels at Cameron Indoor Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rob Kinnan-USA TODAY Sports / Rob Kinnan-USA TODAY Sports

Duke has an all-star class of freshmen coming in, including Cooper Flagg, Isaiah Evans, Kon Knueppel, Patrick Ngongba, and Darren Harris, and the subject of this piece, center Khaman Maluach. His 7-foot-5 wingspan and 9-foot-8 standing reach would put him in the top percentages of the NBA in terms of sheer length.

Maluach is a graduate of the NBA Africa program, a player who hasn't played high-level organized basketball as long as some of his collegiate counterparts, but one that has a ton of potential and has demonstrated real ability in the post. He's athletic with great size, standing at 7-foot-1 with impressive rim-running skill and a knack for blocking shots and rebounding, though his motor could improve.

His offensive game is a work in progress, but he has shown real talent for knocking down three-point shots and developing his ability to face up and score. Though he will play the center position for Duke, they can take advantage of this skillset by setting him up using guards Tyrese Proctor and Caleb Foster.

Though there are other talented bigs on this roster, it's likely that Maluach will get the starting spot for the Blue Devils this season due to his pedigree and ability to be a quick learner. The fact that he's as advanced a player as he is despite not having the same level of experience as other players his age lends credence to the idea that he can continue to grow quickly.

Under the guidance of Jon Scheyer, his development could be exponential, especially playing against the caliber of teammates he will see in practice in Durham. Going up against Ngongba and even non-center bigs like Flagg and Maliq Brown will be of great benefit as he better learns his role. Overall, he could be yet another Duke player taken in the top half of the 2025 NBA Draft, and depending on his progress, maybe go even higher.

---

Want to join the discussion? Like Draft Digest on Facebook and follow us on Twitter to stay up to date on all the latest NBA Draft news. You can also meet the team behind the coverage.