Live Scouting 7-2 Khaman Maluach, On3's No. 9 Player in 2024
Khaman Maluach is a unique prospect with some natural tools that simply cannot be taught. The center originally from South Sudan is currently on a blue blood tour with his official visits, having already seen Duke, Kansas, and Kentucky. On3’s No. 9 player in the 2024 recruiting class is also scheduled to see UCLA later this month, along with the G-League Ignite.
Maluach first burst on the domestic scene in March of 2024 when On3 first ranked him among the top 15 players in the 2025 recruiting class. Having seen the NBA Academy Africa live early last season, Maluach immediately captured my fascination with his physical measurables, defensive presence, and offensive intrigue.
READ 5-star center Khaman Maluach breaks down official visits to Kentucky, Kansas, Duke, UCLA
Since that recruiting update 11 months ago, Maluach has continued to develop. He is currently one of the hottest prospects in high school basketball. Before On3’s last class update, Maluach reclassified into the 2024 recruiting class. He jumped into the top ten of the class. Maluach is now the highest-ranked uncommitted high school senior.
There is a mystery surrounding the NBA Academy Africa center prospect simply because not many fans have seen him. Maluach was at the NBA’s Basketball Without Borders this weekend. I was in attendance among NBA personnel and a few other scouts to watch the 40 players from 22 different countries participate for an updated live viewing.
Here is a deep dive into what I saw from the NBA Academy Africa center Khaman Maluach, On3’s No. 9 player in the 2024 On3 150.
Maluach has Elite Physical Measurables
Walking out on the floor, it is the first thing you notice. Even in a gym filled with big people, Khaman Maluach’s presence is noticed. Without looking at the exact measurements (which we will get into here in a bit) you see the long arms flowing down off his shoulders and the big hands as they brush his body as he walks.
Maluach has a cadence to his walk as well. He is confident, but not arrogant. He knows people are in there to see him. However, he is laughing and smiling with those around him as warm-ups and the dynamic stretching portion start.
At this weekend’s Basketball Without Borders event, Maluach measured at 7-foot-0.75 without shoes and 7-foot-2 with shoes. He had a 7-foot-4.5” wing span, a 9-foot-8 standing reach, and a 10.25″ hand width.
To put this into perspective I took a look through the last six NBA Draft Combines and those who were measured. Maluach’s measurements from Basketball Without Borders would have carried over to be among the top performers.
Maluach’s wingspan was greater than Walker Kessler’s 7-foot-4.25 in 2022-23. And his standing reach would have topped the 9-foot-7.5 measurements that Mo Bamba had in 2018-19 and Bol Bol had in 2019-20. Maluach’s 7-foot-2 height measurement with shoes has him the same height as Mark Williams in 2022-23. The 250 pounds he weighed in at was more than fellow 7-footers, Bol Bol (208), Mark Williams (242.4), and Mo Bamba (225.6).
Maluach’s measurements this weekend had him taller than Walker Kessler and Mo Bamba with a standing reach higher than Bol Bol.
The natural physical tools he carries are uniquely impressive.
Currently, Maluach’s Defense is Ahead of his Offense
This currently is the side of the floor that allows Khaman Maluach’s physical tools to shine. He has a natural presence around the rim where he plays with length and control.
Maluach is comfortable blocking shots with both hands. He keeps good balance on would-be attackers and does not wildly flail for unnecessary fouls while trying to block shots. He has good timing and does not go for initial up-fakes or pump fakes.
Playing in drop coverage is where Maluach is at his best. Keeping him around the rim plays toward his natural strengths. Maluach has some mobility against bigs and he does have instincts in the passing lanes and cutting off angles.
As he continues to get stronger and develop his core and base strength, he figures to continue adding to his mobility. Maluach plays with a good motor. He switches ends and hustles to the front of the rim. Maluach is a good area rebounder, high-pointing missed shots at their peak with two hands. He also tracks rebounds well out of his area.
Maluach has good hands, especially with balls that are above his chest, and solid hand-eye coordination as well. With his 10.25” hand width, once he gets his hands on a ball, he does not let go. As he continues to get stronger and develop even more grip strength. This will only improve over time.
The Offensive Upside has Multiple Potential Outcomes
This aspect of Khaman Maluach’s game brings into play a few different avenues for potential archetype outcomes. Currently, at his baseline, the 7-footer plays comfortably as a rim-running big and out of the dunker spots.
With a 9-foot-8 standing reach and solid hands, ball handlers are able to throw the ball up near the rim and Maluach is at an advantage, at this current level, to simply go make a play on the ball. He uses his size well to set good screens and he rolls well, giving a big target as he heads straight to the front of the rim.
Malauch provides good vertical floor spacing as defensive players have to stay attached and cannot help off him. His length can be too much, at times, for a help rotation. Even if they are on time, or a mini-second late.
Where the intriguing comes is with the jump shot. Maluach has a natural touch. While the base mechanics of the shot still need work, the actual shot release is consistent and it is good.
In games, Maluach’s coach trusts him to step out and take a couple of three attempts per game. When his feet are set, and he has time, Maluach gets his balance points in order and he is a threat to knock down a shot.
In warmups and drill sessions, Maluach has shown that he can take two dribbles to his left and rise up to knock down a pull-up jumper. Even if the speed of his drill work is a step slower, the coordination to gather, rise, and release is very interesting for a 17-year-old, 7-foot-2, 250-pound prospect.
Maluach showed this weekend that he is comfortable catching the ball on the block and getting over his left shoulder. He has touch on his go-to move and showed he can score in the half-court with it. Adding strength will keep him from being pushed off his spot. Continued balance work will keep him from falling as much as he looks to go straight up instead of mostly fading away.
The floor of Maluach’s offensive game can be a valuable one as you project ahead. However, the ceiling – as he continues to work on his footwork and his balance points, and as he continues getting stronger in his core with more real-time reps – might take a little bit of time to get to, but at its peak is very intriguing.
The Mobility and Athleticism
This is an interesting aspect of Khaman Maluach. On the eye test, you can see flashes of some mobility along with some explosive pop when he is able to gather.
There were multiple times, throughout the weekend, where Maluach would finish a boisterous dunk in traffic, or on someone, or he would swat a shot into the stands while the ball was at its peak. His wow moments were very real. He is not afraid to attack the rim in traffic, and, at times can act as a bully at and around the rim.
However, there were other times when his sprinting the floor would look more laborious than expected. His right knee naturally tilts inward some and he naturally plays upright. At times he would struggle to open his hips and turn/switch directions, or move laterally.
A lot of this could have to do with his age and the fact that he is still growing into and getting accustomed to the kinesiology of his body. With his September 2006 birthday, Maluach is still just 17 years old. As he continues to redistribute his body weight and get stronger in his core and lower body, in time, he could move a lot differently than he does now.
The testing done this weekend matched some of the eye tests. Maluach’s 3.87 second ¾ court sprint was the slowest of the 34 tested and his 12.0 second lane-agility was bottom seven of the 34 players tested. Maluach’s 25.5” max vertical was tied for the lowest of the 40 players measured in the camp.
It is also worth keeping in mind, for contextual purposes, that the 17-year-old Maluach was the tallest player measured as well as the second heaviest in attendance at the Basketball Without Borders camp.
Taking a look at a few of the last few NBA Draft combines to see how his athleticism markers compare. Zach Edey and Luka Garza each measured a 29.5” max vert and Drew Timme ran a 3.34 ¾ court sprint. Maluach’s max vert would have been the lowest overall over the past six NBA Draft combines and his ¾ court sprint would have been the highest time.
An interesting aspect is the 12.0 second lane-agility time would have measured solidly for bigger bigs over the last few NBA Draft Combines. Even players like Patrick Baldwin, Naz Reid, Oscar Tshiebwe, and Isaiah Mobley all posted lane-agility times higher than Maluach.
It needs to be noted as well that comparing these numbers is not one-to-one. Players train for these measurements heading into the NBA Draft Combine. And they are 20, 21, and sometimes 23 years old with more years of development and growth in their body and its movements.
While the athleticism has strides that need to be taken, the fact that Maluach is so young, his athletic makeup, when coupled with his physical tools, does still have an intriguing ceiling.
Khaman Maluach’s Long-Term Outlook
This is where things are interesting in regard to Khaman Maluach from an evaluation perspective. On the one hand, you have a player with elite-level physical measurables. On the other hand, you have a young prospect who is still growing into his body.
At 17 years old, Maluach is still very young. However, watching his developmental curve over the past year, you can see why his name is on the tips of many NBA Scouting Department’s tongues. There are simply physical tools that you cannot teach. Maluach’s physical measurements are among the 1 percent of the players measured over the past five or six NBA Draft Combines. To say at 17 he is taller than Kessler, has a higher standing reach than Bol, and is heavier than Bamba immediately draws intrigue.
A look across the highest levels of basketball and its best players, you find the most dominant centers are among the best. A quick check at the NBA MVP race and you see reigning NBA MVP Nikola Jokic at the top of the list. But you also find names like Anthony Davis, Damontas Sabonis, and Giannis Antetokounmpo listed. It should also be noted that had Joel Embiid not been injured, his name would most certainly be at the top of this list.
The dominant center might be the most unique player to find in the league. In the majority of cases, the wing is the most valuable player on the best rosters. They are the players making decisions, involved in the most plays, with the ball in their hands. However, finding a person with the appropriate height, the necessary fluidity and athleticism, and the ability to play on offense and on defense is simply rare among humans in general.
As a center comes into the NBA, ideally you want to find someone who can guard at the rim, switch and show on defense, and provide spacing on offense. Spacing from a center can be found in multiple ways. A guy who is a dominant lob catcher provides spacing from the dunker spot as a defender cannot leave him to help. Spacing can also be provided by the ability to hit jump shots and bring the defensive player out away from the basket because they must contest.
With that said, Maluach has become a must-watch as he develops. Already he checks physical boxes of what is necessary at the highest levels of basketball. He also has some internal tools that help along the way, physicality, toughness, motor, and (by all accounts) work ethic. We have seen his consistent growth over the past year and have no reason to believe that will not continue.
With him only being 17, there is still some unknown with Maluach’s outcome. He is still raw in his overall outlook. The 7-footer still needs game reps and he still needs physical development. The flashes are very enticing, however, at this point they are still that, just flashes.
It is hard to ignore the unique nature that Khaman Maluach brings to the floor. Maluach is already competing for the South Sudanese Senior National Team. He averaged 10.3 minutes per game in the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup. He is continuing to produce at the NBA Academy Africa as well.
Maluach is not a ready-made prospect. However, he carries a lot of projectable indicators that you want in a player. His next couple of years of development will be huge in the overall outlook, and longevity, of his basketball career. However, at this point, it is easy to see why so many NBA teams are looking closely at his evaluation.