The people who know him describe Maledon as an 18-year-old who acts more like he’s 24, a poised, hungry and intense worker. Those characteristics are helping him navigate a pivotal moment in his career. He is a key piece of a team playing in the regular season of the EuroLeague, the continent’s top club competition, for the first time in a decade. He is also a projected first-round pick in the NBA Draft, and in a year where analysts sense an ever-changing draft landscape, Maledon is the type of prospect who could catch fire at the right time and climb high up the lottery. He is doing all of this as Tony Parker’s protégé in a country that absolutely loves Tony Parker. This is why he attracts so much attention from opponents, reporters, scouts and spectators alike. And it’s also why Maledon doesn’t spend much time talking — there is so much work ahead.