Duke Basketball’s Incoming Freshman Khaman Maluach Shines Against Professional Players

Duke basketball’s incoming freshman, Khaman Maluach, may not have been at the Jordan Brand Classic like his teammates, but he was making waves of his own on the court. The 7-foot-1 center, who plays for the Basketball Africa League’s City Oilers, put on a show against grown men in a recent matchup, showcasing his skills and dominance in the paint.

In a tough 79-68 loss to Al Ahly Ly, Maluach stood out with an impressive stat line of 16 points, 19 rebounds, and seven blocks in nearly 34 minutes of play. At just 17 years old, Maluach has been turning heads with his performance against professional players, a testament to his talent and potential.

Having made his BAL debut at the age of 15, Maluach has steadily developed into a star player, thanks in part to the NBA Global Academy and assistant technical director Joe Touomou, who has also worked with NBA All-Star Joel Embiid. Touomou himself has praised Maluach’s skills, stating that the young center is even better than Embiid was at the same age.

With impressive averages of 20.3 points, 13.0 rebounds, and 3.3 blocks per game in the BAL this season, Maluach is poised to make a significant impact for the Blue Devils in the upcoming season. Ranked No. 6 overall on the 247Sports Composite, Maluach is part of Duke’s highly touted recruiting class, which includes other top prospects like Cooper Flagg, Isaiah Evans, Kon Knueppel, and Patrick Ngongba II.

As Maluach prepares to join Duke’s roster, fans can expect to see more of his exciting play on the court. Stay tuned to Blue Devil Country on SI for the latest updates on Duke basketball and their talented incoming freshmen.