There are under two months before the 2024 Summer Olympics begin and Duke basketball freshman Khaman Maluach had time to join the Duke basketball program before he competes internationally for the summer.
Maluach was photographed on campus on Tuesday during the opening day of the K Academy.
All players on the Blue Devil roster were in attendance except 5-star freshman forward Pat Ngongba II, who is preparing to leave this weekend with Team USA for the FIBA U18 AmeriCup.
Maluach could be the most interesting prospect in the Duke recruiting class, standing 7-foot-2 and coming to Durham from the NBA Academy Africa. He most recently competed in the Basketball Africa League where he averaged 17.8 points, 13.5 rebounds, and 2.8 blocks per game.
He is projected as a Top-3 selection in the 2025 NBA Draft, two slots behind Cooper Flagg.
Former Duke centers Mark Williams, Ryan Young, Theo John, and Marshall Plumlee are also in attendance at the K Academy as Maluach will be able to get some workouts in with his future teammates during the week before preparing with Team South Sudan, which is led by former Blue Devil standout Luol Deng, for the Olympics.
Maluach was the final piece of the Blue Devil recruiting class to sign his National Letter of Intent, doing so in late April.
Jon Scheyer said that he “brings an incredible perspective and unique talents to our program.”
The expectation is that Khaman Maluach will return to campus for summer workouts once the Olympic Games conclude in mid-August. He is anticipated to be the team’s starting center this season.
“Khaman can score inside and out, handle the ball, and protect the rim at a high level,” he continued.
“His vocal leadership, the energy and enthusiasm that he plays with, and his commitment to winning above individual statistics stood out to me when watching him throughout the recruiting process.”
Competing in the Paris Olympics will not only give Jon Scheyer a good idea of what Maluach can do when he arrives in Durham, but it will also show Blue Devil fans that they will be watching a dominant center this winter.
