"Duke University's First-Year Center Khaman Maluach Announces Decision to Enter NBA Draft"
Currently, all three of Duke's exceptional first-year players have announced their intentions to enter the 2025 NBA Draft.
Following in the footsteps of Kon Knueppel and the national Player of the Year Cooper Flagg, 7-foot-2 center Khaman Maluach officially declared his move on Sunday, as announced by Duke on social media.
The young player from South Sudan, who will not turn 19 until September 14, is expected to be a top pick in the draft after averaging 8.6 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks in 21.2 minutes per game. He started in every game for the Blue Devils, who made it to the Final Four of the NCAA Tournament.
Duke coach Jon Scheyer expressed his admiration for Maluach on social media, saying, "I have thoroughly enjoyed coaching Khaman. I will miss him every single day. He has the most infectious personality."
Scheyer also noted Maluach's impressive skills on the court, including his 7-2 height, great timing, and ball handling abilities. However, he believes that Maluach's determination, competitiveness, and fearlessness in the face of physical play are what set him apart.
The 250-pound Maluach has a 7-6 wingspan and a 9-8 standing reach, which explains his ability to defend the rim. However, during Duke's 15-game winning streak before their loss to Houston in the national semifinals, Maluach also showed his agility in defending smaller players on the perimeter.
With Maluach's decision, Duke will not have any of their top six players, based on minutes played, returning from their 35-4 team.
Flagg (19.2 points per game), Knueppel (14.4), and junior Tyrese Proctor (12.4) have also declared for the draft, which will take place on June 25. Graduate transfers Sion James (8.6) and Mason Gillis (4.1) have exhausted their eligibility.
