NBA Africa's Biggest Success | The Khaman Maluach Story
Khaman Maluach was just drafted 10th overall in the NBA Draft. He’s a South Sudanese refugee who grew up in Uganda and only started playing basketball when he was 13 years old.
After first playing the game at Luol Deng’s basketball camp, Maluach played at the NBA Academy in Senegal, and played three seasons in NBA Africa’s Basketball Africa League, before signing with Duke University.
He’s the first player from the BAL to be drafted into the NBA. And as we continue to invest in talent on the African continent, there will be more players like Khaman Maluach playing in the league in the future.
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Transcript
Justin Norman: Khaman Maluach was just drafted 10th overall in the NBA Draft. And he’s incredibly emotional because his journey to the NBA is unbelievable. But we should also expect to see more players like him in the NBA in the future.
Khaman Maluach:_ I didn't envision this because I didn't know what basketball was._
Justin Norman: Not only has he played basketball for just 6 years, but the journey started with him walking 45 minutes to the nearest basketball court.
Maluach was born in Rumbek, South Sudan but grew up in neighboring Uganda, where he lived as a refugee.As a 13-year-old, Khaman was noticed for his height and invited to a camp organized by fellow South Sudanese basketballer, the Chicago Bulls legend, Luol Deng. It was the first time he touched a basketball.
But there was a problem - he didn't have sneakers big enough to fit his size 14 feet. So the first time he played basketball was in Crocs. Seriously. In Crocs.
In many major cities around the world, you’re never far from a basketball court. But for Khaman, playing in Uganda meant a 45-minute walk to the nearest court, and much of his learning happened on YouTube, watching his favorite players like Giannis Antetokounmpo and Joel Embiid.
How does somebody who never touched a ball until 13, who had to walk 45 minutes to play, get this good this fast?
Khaman Maluach:_ The orange ball has taken me so far. I have big dreams, a lot of big dreams."_
Justin Norman: While kids elsewhere have abundant resources, it’s hard to beat raw talent, hard work, and a mission bigger than yourself.
Khaman Maluach:_ I believe it's a gift God gave me to impact other people's lives and to change my family's life. My long-term goal is putting Africa on the map, man. Africa has a lot of undiscovered talent and I feel like there's a lot of kids out there and all they need is an opportunity."_
Justin Norman: Khaman's determination has paid off so far. After the Luol Deng camp, he earned a scholarship to the NBA Academy in Senegal, played three seasons in the Basketball Africa League, impressed scouts at Basketball Without Borders, and signed with Duke as a 5-star prospect. Khaman was raw talent becoming unstoppable. And now he’s taking those talents to the NBA.
Khaman’s unbelievable path shows just how important it is to create opportunities for young athletes across the continent. And if his journey is any indication, all players need is a chance.
At the start of the 2024 season, there were 17 Africa-born players on an NBA team. Khaman isn't the only one with this journey. Joel Embiid - former MVP - only started playing basketball at 15. Pascal Siakam just played in the NBA Finals but didn't touch organized basketball until he was nearly 18 years old.
These aren't feel-good stories about potential. This is African excellence rewriting the game.
Khaman Maluach:_ I want to be a Hall of Famer. That's one of my long-term goals._
Justin Norman: The future of basketball isn't being developed in elite academies. It's learning on YouTube. It's playing in Crocs and still dominating.
On the continent, the question isn't just who's the next Khaman Maluach. It's how many more like him are coming.