Khaman Maluach, a promising young center who had a strong freshman campaign with the Duke Blue Devils this past season, is turning pro.
Maluach recently entered his name into the NBA Draft, following the lead of his teammate Cooper Flagg. With impressive physical tools and defensive potential, he’s viewed as a high-upside project for NBA teams to develop.
At the same time, Arizona has landed a commitment from Mabilmawut Kon Mabil, a 6-foot-11 forward originally from South Sudan—Maluach’s home country. Mabil is expected to join the Wildcats for the 2025–26 season.
Maluach, who is close friends with Mabil, acknowledged the signing on Instagram by posting a heart emoji.
Mabil recently arrived in the U.S. and has been playing high school basketball at Our Saviour Lutheran in New York. According to Recruit the Bronx, he has the makings of a dominant low-post scorer and a disruptive shot-blocker. While competing with Overtime Elite’s Jelly Fam squad, he averaged 4.6 points and 4.1 rebounds in 17.3 minutes per game.
As for Maluach, the 7-foot-2, 250-pound center contributed 8.6 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks per game in 21.3 minutes for Duke. While his offensive game is still developing, he’s a reliable lob target and emerging rim protector with the agility to defend on the perimeter.
Duke, a preseason favorite to win the 2025 NCAA men’s championship, fell short in the Final Four with a loss to the Houston Cougars.
Top Three Pick’ for Rookie Khaman Maluach at Duke Basketball
A leading NBA Draft analyst is praising the Duke basketball big man.
Duke one-and-done Cooper Flagg is widely expected to be the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, set for June 25–26. But he may not be the only Blue Devil selected in the lottery. Freshmen Khaman Maluach and Kon Knueppel are both strong candidates to hear their names early, though it’s unclear which will be drafted first.
The hype came in response to a post from ESPN draft expert Jonathan Givony, who praised Maluach’s impressive development during the pre-draft process. “Projected top-10 pick Khaman Maluach looks fantastic working out,” Givony noted, pointing out the 7-foot-2 center’s improved mobility, footwork, and touch. Duke’s account replied with a bold claim: “Top 3 pick.”
Maluach, who began playing basketball only five years ago, started all 39 games this past season for a 35-4 Duke team that reached the Final Four under head coach Jon Scheyer. He averaged 8.6 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks per game while shooting an efficient 71.2% from the field and 76.6% at the line.
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