At just 18 years old, South Sudanese basketball talent Khaman Maluach is embracing his role as a beacon of hope for young African athletes after being chosen as the 10th overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft held on Wednesday.
The promising center, who recently played for Duke University, was selected by the Houston Rockets during the event, though he is expected to land with the Phoenix Suns as part of a proposed trade involving NBA star Kevin Durant.
“Living in Africa, I had the whole continent on my back, giving hope to young kids, inspiring young kids, the next generation of African basketball,” an emotional Maluach said following the draft.
Maluach entered the world in 2006 in Rumbek, South Sudan, but spent his formative years in Kawempe, Uganda, where his mother raised him after they fled their home country as refugees.
His basketball journey began at 14 when a stranger on a motorcycle saw him walking and encouraged him to give the sport a try. That suggestion turned out to be life-changing, leading to his enrollment at the NBA Academy Africa in Saly, Senegal.
At just 16, after earning a place at Duke, Maluach proudly represented South Sudan at the 2024 Olympics in Paris. Despite his rising profile, he faced legal uncertainty earlier this year due to a U.S. immigration rule introduced during Donald Trump’s presidency. The rule targeted citizens of South Sudan for possible deportation delays, placing their visa statuses in jeopardy.
Now that he’s been drafted, Maluach qualifies for a P1 visa—granted to elite international athletes—which clears the way for him to officially begin his professional basketball career in the U.S.
Standing tall at 7 feet 2 inches, Maluach was overcome with emotion when his name echoed through Brooklyn’s Barclays Center on draft night.
“Being delusional about my dreams, believing I’d make it to the NBA one day and now I’m here,” he told ESPN after the draft.
His outfit that night carried deep meaning: the inside of his jacket featured the flags of both South Sudan and Uganda—one symbolizing where he was born, the other where he was nurtured.
Beyond personal achievement, Maluach’s top-10 draft spot is a historic milestone, setting a new record as the highest draft pick ever for an African player. He knows what this moment means for the continent.
“I’m here representing the whole continent of Africa,” Maluach said.
