Maluach is a center from South Sudan who fled the war-torn area at a young age and grew up in Uganda. He began playing basketball at 13 years old and developed playing in Senegal under NBA Academy Africa before becoming a five-star recruit. He spent one season with Duke.
About
Picked up basketball at 13 years old after growing up a soccer fan and flashed on the radar in Africa at a camp hosted by fellow South Sudanese sensation Luol Deng.
Attended Bethel Covenant College before COVID shutdown and later joined NBA Academy Africa in Senegal before garnering attention from the likes of UCLA, Duke, Kentucky and Kansas.
Played for South Sudan’s national team at the 2023 FIBA World Cup and helped his country qualify for the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, where South Sudan narrowly lost 101-100 to Team USA.
Earned All-ACC Honorable Mention and ACC All-Rookie Team honors
Strengths
Game-altering length. Measured in at 7-2 with nearly 7-7 wingspan at NBA Draft Combine.
First Team All-Teammate caliber person. Cooper Flagg called him a “pure soul” and Duke coach Jon Scheyer said he’s “one of the best human beings.”
Frame and game of a future defensive anchor. Plays with great anticipation on the defensive end and regularly blocks or alters shots with his length.
Stellar finisher around the basket. Led college basketball among major conference players in KenPom’s offensive rating metric and rated in the 98th percentile on finishing at the rim.
Weaknesses
Still a very raw prospect. Has only played basketball five years and even shorter time than that in an organized fashion. Can improve his positioning and tweak fundamentals to become even more dynamic, which will come in time.
Unproven shooter. Took just 16 3-pointers at Duke, making four. Played with a glove all season because of hand injury, which could have affected his shot efficiency and selection.
Can be too passive. Playing next to Flagg and Kon Knueppel, he was too willing – and understandably so – to cede the floor to the team’s co-stars. To take his game to the next level he will need to understand when to be more assertive and play with more confidence, particularly on offense.
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