Standing at 7ft 2in, Khaman Maluach already finds it difficult to keep a low profile, and it has become apparent in South Sudan’s exemplary games at the Paris Olympics. The 17-year-old basketball sensation, who represented South Sudan at the Olympics, is expected to be a top pick in next year’s NBA Draft, with numerous teams eagerly eyeing his potential.
While his game continues to evolve impressively, Maluach’s story extends far beyond his basketball skills, as reported by the BBC.
“Basketball means a big thing to me. I believe it’s a gift God gave me to impact other people’s lives and to change my family’s life,” he told BBC. “The orange ball has taken me so far.”
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Born in 2006, Maluach’s family fled to Uganda to escape the conflict that eventually led to South Sudan’s independence in 2011. Raised in Kawempe, a town near Uganda’s capital, Kampala, Maluach grew up in a disadvantaged community with his mother, six siblings, and maternal relatives, as his father remained mostly in South Sudan.
His basketball journey began by chance after an encounter on the roadside while walking home from school.
“A guy was on a bike and he suddenly stopped in front of me,” Maluach recalled. “He told me ‘You should start playing basketball. I can get you shoes, I can get you the ball’ if I started playing right away.”
Maluach faced daunting challenges on his path to basketball stardom. The nearest public court was a one-hour walk from his home and often crowded. The scarcity of basketballs and proper shoes was a major hurdle, with Maluach already wearing size 14 shoes by age 13.
Forced to play his first game in a pair of Crocs, he still made a strong impression on local coaches Wal Deng and Aketch Garang. “The first time I saw Khaman, I saw so much potential,” Deng told BBC. “I knew he was going to develop and become a better player. He learned so quick. I told Aketch that this kid will be the next big thing.”
In 2021, only a year after he began playing basketball, Maluach was invited to try out for the NBA Academy Africa. Largely self-taught, he learned moves from NBA MVPs Giannis Antetokounmpo and Joel Embiid by watching YouTube videos.
Inspired by these superstars with African roots, Maluach dedicated himself to working even harder.
“Me and my brother would do this thing called a ‘night shift’,” Maluach explained. “When it reaches 12 midnight, they [the telecommunications company], give you a lot of [mobile data] at a cheaper price. The whole time, I would watch those guys.
“I used to see Giannis’ jab step, and then with Joel I learned the shimmy. If they can make it there, I can make it there too.”
Maluach’s dedication paid off when Coach Deng persuaded him to accept a scholarship with the NBA Academy Africa in Dakar, Senegal, in 2021. This move, however, came with personal sacrifices, as he has had to separate from his family in Kawempe for the past two years to focus on his basketball and academic development.
“The Academy has helped me grow in so many ways,” Maluach said. “On the court, competing against the best talent on the continent kept me getting better all the time.
“One of the main reasons I took basketball to the next level is to get education. There was a time I spent two terms without going to school in Uganda.”
Three years later, Maluach is projected to be the third pick in the 2025 NBA Draft.
He will become eligible for the draft after committing to play college basketball for Duke University in the USA.
