Khaman Maluach to enter NBA Draft after one season with Duke basketball

Duke basketballs Khaman Maluach will enter the 2025 NBA Draft, the Blue Devils announced April 27 in a social media post.Maluach, a 7-foot-2 freshman center from South Sudan, is expected to be a top-10 pick during the first round of the draft on June 25 in Brooklyn.

A shot-swatting, lob-catching extraordinaire for the Blue Devils, Maluach averaged 8.6 points, 6.6 rebounds and 1.3 blocks per game.

He made 71.2% of his shots and 76.6% of his free throws.Duke has seen 30 of its former players become lottery picks.

Overall, 56 Blue Devils have been selected in the first round of the draft.

Maluach joins Cooper Flagg, Kon Knueppel and Tyrese Proctor as the Blue Devils' latest players to enter the draft.

Maluach, who attended NBA Academy Africa before playing at Duke, started all 39 games for the Blue Devils.

"Every single day, he's got the most contagious personality," Duke coach Jon Scheyer said in a video posted by the Blue Devils on X.

".

...

His best years are, by far, in front of him.

I can't wait to see what he's gonna do.

He's just scratching the surface.

He has an amazing base for who he is as a player, but that skill set is gonna continue to grow." NO.

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1 pick after one season with Duke basketball'CHEAT CODE': Duke basketball has a 'cheat code' as Blue Devils begin chase for sixth national titleHeres a look at Maluachs stats with the Blue Devils and possible landing spots in the 2025 NBA Draft.

Khaman Maluach statsIn his first four NCAA Tournament games, Maluach, who played for South Sudan at the 2024 Paris Olympics, averaged 11.5 points, 4.2 rebounds, 2 blocks and made 86.9% of his shots.

He had 14 points and nine rebounds in Duke's Elite Eight victory against Alabama.

Maluach had five double-double performances, including 19 points and 10 rebounds in a win against Notre Dame.

He followed that with 12 points and 15 rebounds against Miami.

Khaman Maluach NBA Draft profile, projections Maluach has the frame and skill set to be a defensive anchor in the league.

As for comparisons, JaVale McGee, Dereck Lively, Rudy Gobert, Mitchell Robinson and Ivica Zubac are among the players in line with Maluach's potential, according to evaluators.

The 18-year-old center is a consistent lob threat out of the pick-and-roll and has a knack for timing when it comes to blocking and altering shots.

He also improved his ability to guard on the perimeter over the course of the season.

Maluach struggled with foul trouble at times and has to become a more consistent rebounder, but his age and potential make him a no-doubt pick in the top 10.Rodd Baxley covers Duke, North Carolina and N.C.

State for The Fayetteville Observer as part of the USA TODAY Network.

Follow his ACC coverage on X/Twitter or Bluesky: @RoddBaxley.

Got questions regarding those teams? Send them to [email protected].

This article originally appeared on The Fayetteville Observer: Duke basketball's Khaman Maluach to enter 2025 NBA Draft.

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