18-year-old Khaman Maluach of South Sudan has been selected as a Top 10 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, making him the highest-drafted player to emerge from NBA Academy Africa. The announcement, made during the star-studded ceremony in Brooklyn, is already being celebrated across the continent as a watershed moment in African sports history.
At 7-foot-2, with an elite defensive presence and growing offensive arsenal, Maluach’s trajectory has been closely watched by scouts since he burst onto the international scene during FIBA youth tournaments. But what sets this achievement apart is not just his skill level, it’s his journey.
Born in a conflict-affected region, Maluach found his calling through basketball in refugee settlements before being scouted into the NBA Academy Africa in Senegal. His raw potential was refined into professional-level talent through a structured development pathway that now stands as a model for sports empowerment in underrepresented regions.
Speaking shortly after his name was called, an emotional Maluach said, “This is not just my dream. It’s a dream for every South Sudanese kid who picks up a ball and dares to believe.”
His selection sends a strong signal to young athletes across the continent: African talent doesn’t just belong on the global stage, it can lead it. It also represents a triumph for NBA Africa’s development pipeline, which has grown in stature since its establishment but had yet to produce a top-10 NBA pick until now.
Back home, the news sparked celebrations, with sports fans and national figures praising Maluach’s resolve and humility. South Sudan’s Basketball Federation, still riding the wave of the men’s national team’s impressive FIBA World Cup debut, described the moment as “historic and unifying.”
Maluach joins a generation of African players reshaping the face of global basketball, following in the footsteps of pioneers like Hakeem Olajuwon, Luol Deng, and more recently, Pascal Siakam and Joel Embiid. But his path, via NBA Academy Africa, is perhaps the clearest indication yet that the continent’s grassroots systems are beginning to bear world-class fruit.
As he prepares for life in the NBA, analysts are calling him one of the most defensively versatile big men in this year’s class. Scouts praise his timing, footwork, and shot-blocking instincts, while noting his expanding offensive repertoire, including a soft midrange touch and improved court vision.
But beyond the stats and highlights, Khaman Maluach represents something bigger: the rise of a new generation of African athletes who are not just chasing opportunities abroad, but creating new narratives about identity, potential, and pride.
