A budding, teenage Khaman Maluach in 2019 picked up a basketball for the first time while a refugee in Uganda, and now, a 19-year-old version of himself set a career-high scoring mark in the NBA for the Phoenix Suns.
Maluach, the 2025 No. 10 overall draft pick, cashed in on a career-high 12 points in Saturday’s home win over the Utah Jazz and nearly had his first double-double as he matched a career-best nine rebounds (three offensive).
Seven years ago, however, he was walking along dirt roads with no concept of the game played on the hardwood. Even with a bicyclist noticing Maluach’s prodigious stature and pointing out the game, the now-NBA rookie didn’t really think about a future with it.
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“It’s just like a couple of days later, I got invited to a basketball camp and … I saw a lot of tall kids. You don’t really see a lot of tall people in Uganda,” the 7-foot-1 Maluach told Arizona Sports’ Burns & Gambo on Friday. “I’m like, ‘Wow, this is really the sport for me. I felt comfortable, I felt home and I just came back in the next day and picked up a basketball (after watching some of the camp).”
The player of South Sudanese descent was recruited by Duke head coach Jon Scheyer and helped the Blue Devils make the Final Four of the 2025 NCAA Tournament, getting by current Final Four team Arizona in the Sweet 16.
Maluach blocked and rebounded his way to the ACC All-Rookie Team, alongside No. 1 overall draft pick Cooper Flagg, using his frame to dunk 77 basketballs. The dunk total was the second-most by a freshman in program history, according to Duke sports information.
He tallied 15 games with multiple blocks after starting all 39 games, and has four in his 39 games with the Suns. Maluach had five swats in a win over the New Orleans Pelicans on March 6 after not exceeding four in his time with Duke.
His minutes played per game have nearly doubled from February (nine) to March (14.4) with starting center Mark Williams out an extended time for a left foot third metatarsal stress fracture.
“I think I’ve got better from game to game (in Williams’ absence),” Maluach said. “Every time I play, I go back, watch the game and (get) better from it and come back the next day and not make the same mistake again.”
And he has certainly followed through on that promise.
Maluach committed six turnovers across the first two games without Williams to begin March, and has since turned it over six times across the past 11 games.
In the opening months of his professional career, Maluach had to rely on time with the G League Valley Suns to get reps but has recently seen meaningful minutes against playoff contenders such as the Denver Nuggets, San Antonio Spurs and Minnesota Timberwolves.
“I’m confident because I know how much work I put in. I know how many hours I be at,” Maluach said. “So, I’m always confident when I step on the floor and it’s just a matter of learning and not doing the same mistake twice.”
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