Khaman Maluach’s journey to the NBA wasn’t just about basketball. It’s a story stitched with resilience, discovery, and quiet defiance of odds—and on Thursday night, it became historic.
The 18-year-old center made headlines as the No. 10 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, selected by the Houston Rockets but set to begin his rookie season with the Phoenix Suns following a major trade that involved NBA star Kevin Durant. That move not only puts Maluach in the spotlight of a team with championship aspirations—it also places him firmly in the pages of basketball history.
With his selection, Maluach becomes the highest-drafted player to emerge from both the NBA Academy Africa and the Basketball Africa League—two institutions shaping the future of African talent in the sport. But Maluach’s ascent to the big league is far from typical.
Born in South Sudan and raised in Uganda after his family fled the conflict in their homeland, Maluach’s early life was marked by instability and uncertainty. He didn’t pick up a basketball until he was 13—an age considered late in the world of elite sports—after a boda boda (motorcycle taxi) driver encouraged him to try it out. That single conversation turned into a life-altering decision. Within a year, he was scouted and enrolled in the NBA Academy Africa in Senegal—the youngest ever to join.
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His towering 7-foot-1 frame and 250-pound build were hard to miss, but it was his instincts and composure on the court that truly caught attention. A gifted shot-blocker and rebounder, Maluach dominated camps and competitions, earning MVP honors at the 2023 Basketball Without Borders Africa camp. He became the youngest player to represent South Sudan at the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup and competed in the 2024 Paris Olympics—milestones that signaled to the world that this wasn’t just another tall kid with potential. This was a generational talent.
On draft night, the weight of his journey came pouring out. “The moment exceeded my expectations,” Maluach said, voice shaking with emotion. “This is one of the best days of my life. I didn’t think I was going to cry, but I did. I’m excited to put on a Suns jersey with my name on the back and step on the floor.”
But Maluach’s vision extends beyond the hardwood. He’s determined to use his growing platform to change the conversation around Africa. “I want to show them the great parts and culture,” he said. “I want to change the narrative on how they see my continent.”
In a draft filled with rising stars and future legends, Khaman Maluach stood out—not just because of his height or his stats, but because his story reminded the world that greatness doesn’t always follow a straight path. Sometimes, it begins with a war-torn homeland, a motorcycle ride, and a dream too stubborn to die.
