Tag: South Sudanese National Team

Khaman Maluach, South Sudan basketball come within a point of beating Team USA

Khaman Maluach, the incoming Duke freshman and presumed 2025 lottery pick, nearly helped South Sudan upset Team USA in a Saturday exhibition.

[autotag]Khaman Maluach[/autotag] and South Sudan nearly pulled off the upset of the summer during a Saturday exhibition game against Team USA.

During a friendly match in London ahead of the upcoming Olympic Games, the United States needed to pull out a miraculous 101-100 victory over the South Sudan national team.

Maluach, a member of Duke’s hyped 2024 recruiting class and a presumed lottery pick in next year’s NBA draft, scored seven points in 12 minutes off of the bench. He made three of his four attempts from the floor, pulled down three rebounds, blocked a shot, and even made a 3-pointer to tease his shot-making ceiling.

The future Blue Devil made an impression as early as he could with a breakaway dunk in the opening quarter.

The U.S. actually trailed in the final half-minute of the game before four-time NBA champion LeBron James drove his way to the basket for the go-ahead layup during the final 10 seconds.

Despite Maluach making an appearance during the exhibition and playing for South Sudan in the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup, he’s not listed on the official men’s national team roster online, implying that he won’t make the trip to Paris for the Olympic Games.

Duke basketball’s Khaman Maluach throws down dunk against Team USA in exhibition

Khaman Maluach, one of four incoming five-star freshmen in Duke’s recruiting class, threw down a breakaway dunk against Team USA on Saturday.

[autotag]Cooper Flagg[/autotag] isn’t the only incoming Duke freshman with a standout performance against Team USA.

After Flagg gained national adoration for his performance as a Select Team member during the United States Olympic training camp, future teammate [autotag]Khaman Maluach[/autotag] made some headlines of his own during a Saturday exhibition against the American team.

While playing for his home country of South Sudan, Maluach’s teammates passed him the ball with open paint in front of him during the first quarter. The 7-footer snagged the ball, made it from the free-throw line to the hoop in two steps, and threw down a dunk to give his team the 18-16 lead.

Saturday isn’t Maluach’s first experience on the national team. While he isn’t listed on the national team roster for the upcoming Olympics, he did represent South Sudan at the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup. He’s routinely considered Duke’s second-best NBA prospect for 2025 thanks to his frame and shot-blocking ability, and Bleacher Report included him in a mock draft earlier this week.

Maluach and Flagg highlight a six-person freshman class for Duke’s 2024-25 roster.

Incoming Duke freshman Khaman Maluach not listed on South Sudanese national team roster

Duke’s Khaman Maluach, whom many thought would assuredly make the South Sudanese Olympic team, isn’t listed on the national team roster.

[autotag]Khaman Maluach[/autotag] might not play in Paris this summer after all.

The 7-footer and incoming Duke freshman seemed like an inevitability after he played for South Sudan at the FIBA Basketball World Cup last year, the team that helped the country qualify for this year’s Olympic Games.

However, as of this week, the men’s national team roster is listed online by the South Sudanese Basketball Federation, and Maluach is nowhere to be seen.

Maluach was given consideration for the squad, proven by an invite to the country’s training camp earlier this month. However, it seems like he won’t be on the 12-man squad.

South Sudan plays the United States in an exhibition game on Saturday. The game, played in London, will be aired on FOX.