The Phoenix Suns snagged their defensive enforcer in Duke center Khaman Maluach at the 10th overall pick in the 2025 NBA draft. The 18-year-old is from Rumbek, South Sudan and has one of the most fascinating stories surrounding any prospect in this year’s draft class. Despite his 7’2 frame, basketball wasn’t always the goal for Maluach, as he didn’t start playing the sport until he was 14 years old.

Maluach was walking home from school when a boda boda motorcyclist saw the massive size of him. The rider slammed the brakes, got out and told Maluach that he has to start playing basketball. He got his first opportunity at former NBA player Luol Deng’s basketball camp, who is also from South Sudan. That opened the door for Maluach to join NBA Academy Africa in Sally Senegal to get more attention.

In 2022, at only 15 years old, Maluach began his professional career in BAL for team Cobra Sport. Each of the following two years, he found himself on new clubs like AS Douanes and City Oilers. Despite only picking up a basketball a few years ago, Maluach already began dominating in the BAL, averaging 17.5 points, 13.5 rebounds, and 2.8 blocks in games games for the City Oilers.

Maluach earned his way on the South Sudan men’s national team, being selected by president of Basketball Federation Deng. The big man was a part of the South Sudan team that gave team USA a scare, only losing by one in a 101-100 game last July, Maluach had seven points, three rebounds and one block in 12 minutes.

His stellar professional career earned him an offer from Duke university, where he was third best prospect in the 2025 draft class by ESPN on March 6th, 2024. Maluach played one season with Blue Devils, averaging 8.6 points, 6.6 rebounds and 1.3 blocks in 21.2 minutes per game. Duke would lose in the Final Four to the Houston Cougars, 70-67, with Maluach finishing his tournament averaging 10.4 points, 5.0 rebounds and 1.8 blocks.

Maluach was projected to be a top-7 pick in the NBA draft but slide to the Suns at 10. General manager Brian Gregory was one the doorstep of trading for Charlotte Hornets center Mark Williams but couldn’t pass up on grabbing Maluach, who has so much potential in his NBA career. The Suns had a massive problem on the glass last season, with the center rotation not living up to its duties.

Now, Maluach and Williams will come onto the roster and immediately give a much-needed spark of energy on the boards and on the defensive end. Phoenix is ramping off its defensive intensity with the addition of Dillon Brooks and the two new centers for the 2025 season.

The Suns had an action-packed first day of the draft, with the addition of two centers within minutes of each other. Maluach in just a few short years makes it to the NBA after not playing until in 2021. He joins a list of other African players like Joel Embiid and Pascal Siakam that didn’t start playing basketball until their teenage years, but being a first-round pick in the NBA draft.

Maluach is the first pick by Gregory since his promotion into becoming general manager of the Suns and on metrics look to have selected a stud in the 7’2 center.