The 2025 NBA Draft presents an incredibly deep class of prospects, and Duke C Khaman Maluach highlights the notable big men in this draft.
Below, we'll give you everything you need to know about Khaman Maluach in the NBA Draft, including his draft projection, combine performance, NBA comparison, and a full scouting report.
Maluach was part of a stacked Duke team that made it to the Final Four. The NBA Draft could be painted blue early, with Maluach, along with his teammates Cooper Flagg and Kon Knueppel, could all go in the top 10 picks.
Let's get into Maluach's NBA Draft scouting profile andn more.
Khaman Maluach College Stats
Maluach played one season in college basketball for Duke, starting at center. It was Maluach's first season in the U.S., hailing from South Sudan. These are his career totals from Duke:
- 39 Games
- 8.6 Points Per Game
- 6.6 Rebounds Per Game
- 1.3 Blocks Per Game
- 71.2 FG%
Khaman Maluach Combine Results
Maluach participated in the 2025 NBA Combine, and here are those results and measurements.
- Height: 7 feet, 3/4 inches
- Weight: 252 pounds
- Hand Length: 9 3/4 inches
- Hand Width: 10 1/4 inches
- Wingspan: 7 feet, 6 3/4 inches
- Standing Reach: 9 feet, 6 inches
- Standing Vertical Jump: 24 inches
Khaman Maluach Game To Watch
March 29, 2025 vs. Alabama (Elite Eight)
This game vs. Alabama showed the potential Maluach has in the NBA. He had 14 points, nine rebounds, and two blocks. Alabama is a much smaller team, so Maluach used his size to have a dominant performance.
If he can reach his potential, then this is a glimpse of the stats you could see from him on a nightly basis in the NBA.
Khaman Maluach: Draft Scouting Report
Find the full Khaman Maluach NBA Draft scouting report below, including his strengths and weaknesses
Strengths
Here are the strengths of Duke C Khaman Maluach for the 2025 NBA Draft.
- Elite rim protector: With a wingspan of 7 feet, 6 ¾ inches, Maluach covers the basket. He averaged 1.3 blocks per game as a freshman in just 21.3 minutes and takes away an offense’s ability to score in the paint.
- High percentage shooter: He finished with a 71.2% field goal percentage, an impressive number despite averaging just 4.9 attempts per game, and he developed into a put-back specialist.
- Experienced at the professional level: Although he’s still young, he already feels seasoned. He played professional basketball in South Sudan as the youngest player in the competition, and, at the age of 16, was on the South Sudan National Team, competing in the FIBA World Cup.
Weaknesses
Here are the strengths of Duke C Khaman Maluach for the 2025 NBA Draft.
- Too slender for the next level: At 7-foot and 252 pounds, this leaves Maluach with a slender frame. At the next level, and primarily defending the rim, Maluach will need to bulk up to contend with stronger players, which isn't anything new for someone his age.
- Not impactful outside of the paint: Maluach is an old-school big man, meaning he will not have a significant impact outside of the paint. He can’t shoot beyond five feet or defend anywhere outside.
- Still unpolished: Maluach still has a lot more refinement to become a complete player. He needs to develop a post-up shot, often misreads defenses, and can’t be impactful on the pick and roll.
Khaman Maluach NBA Comparison: Rudy Gobert
Maluach looks very much like when Rudy Gobert was entering the league. Gobert is one of the more premium defenders; he’s won three Defensive Player of the Year awards. Gobert’s highest value comes at the rim, where he’s averaging 2.1 blocks.
Early in his career, Gobert relied on positioning and timing to make plays, and these are traits that Maluach already possesses. This could be the trajectory of Maluach if he continually improves and gains a little more size to compete against the athletes in the league.
Khaman Maluach NBA Draft Projection
Most experts have Maluach projected as a lottery pick, possibly going within the top ten. While he’s going to be stuck in the role as a rim protector, he has the potential to be one of the best at that position down the road. He would be a great cleanup man for a team that specializes in outside shooting. With time and coaching, Maluach could become a scoring threat himself.
Make NBA Predictions on PrizePicks
The NBA Draft introduces you to the future superstars of the league, including big man Khama Maluach, who was an impressive rim defender in only 21 minutes per game at Duke.
After the Draft, you can make predictions on 2025 player projections in the NBA SZN game on PrizePicks, including rookies like Cooper Flagg and Maluach. NBA SZN is the easiest way to get real money action on your 2025-26 NBA fantasy basketball predictions by picking More or Less on stats like points, assists, rebounds, and more.
Check out the Playbook daily for more NBA DFS picks and analysis for PrizePicks.
