[The following scouting report is part of a series on potential 2025 draft prospects from Sports Business Classroom alumni.]

Khaman Maluach
Frame: 7’1″, 253 lbs
Position: Center
Team: Duke Blue Devils
2025 Draft Age: 20
Stats via www.basketball-reference.com, https://barttorvik.com/, nba.com 

Offense

Maluach is originally from South Sudan and didn’t start playing basketball until five years before his collegiate debut. However, his lack of experience didn’t stop him from making significant contributions in his lone college season. Maluach started all 39 games and ranked fifth in minutes for an excellent Duke team that won the ACC tournament and reached the Final Four. Maluach averaged 8.6 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks, and displayed solid chemistry with fellow prospects Cooper Flagg and Kon Knueppel throughout the season. 

Maluach is one of the rawer prospects in the 2025 class. Overall, he projects as an athletic, rim-running big with offensive limitations. As a scorer, he does most of his damage around the basket, where his elite size gives him an advantage over most defenders. He uses his size and athleticism to finish with authority and will be an elite lob threat at the next level. Most (81.7 percent) of Maluach’s field goal attempts came at the rim, which he converted at a solid 76.9 percent clip.

While he isn’t much of a self-creator (as 80 percent of Maluach’s makes were assisted), he put his verticality on display all season, finishing with the second-most dunks in Division I despite only playing 53 percent of available minutes. He benefited from playing with some excellent playmakers, which he’ll likely need in the NBA. Maluach remains relatively unproven as a shooter, attempting just 16 threes all season with 25 percent accuracy. However, his mechanics are solid, and his strong free-throw shooting (77 percent) suggests long-term shooting upside.

Maluach is an excellent offensive rebounder. He registered a 16.5 offensive rebound rate last season, ranking eighth among players with 400-plus minutes. College defenders struggled to keep Maluach off the offensive glass. However, his hands sometimes let him down, as he was prone to fumbling uncontested rebounds. Developing his hands and catching ability will be key for Maluach in the NBA. Another area of focus will be pick-and-roll. As a screener, his contact is inconsistent. He also doesn’t offer much as a playmaker in the short roll due to his hands and developing footwork. During the 2025 Draft Combine, however, Maluach mentioned that he’s actively working on playmaking out of the pick-and-roll.

Defense

Defense is Maluach’s calling card, and he has real potential to be a defensive anchor in the NBA.

He immediately stands out on the court due to his massive frame, and his 7’6.75” wingspan led all players at the Combine. He used this frame to wreak havoc on opposing offenses. As a rim protector, Maluach had a 6.8 percent block percentage, which ranked 12th among freshmen. He’s also a strong help-side rim protector, as many of his blocks came from rotating off his man. His size and rim deterrence were significant parts of Duke’s fourth-ranked defense. As a defensive rebounder, Maluach has work to do. He was prone to ball-watching and letting up offensive rebounds. Still, his college numbers were solid (19.2 percent defensive rebound rate), which bodes well for him as he gets stronger and refines his technique and timing on the glass.

In the pick-and-roll, Maluach is most comfortable in drop coverage. He’s not yet comfortable switching out onto wings and guards, but has shown flashes of holding his own in switch scenarios. His overall mobility is impressive for his size, and as he refines his footwork, Maluach will have an elite defensive ceiling. 

Another area for improvement is his strength and conditioning. Too often, Maluach would get into jumping matches instead of bodying up opponents, costing his team rebounds. Still, Maluach’s contributions to an elite Duke defense are encouraging, considering he’s still learning the game. 

Looking Ahead

Early in his career, Maluach’s role will likely be that of a play finisher who gets his points from cleanups and lobs. He’d benefit from landing with a team that will give him minutes immediately and can stomach the inevitable growing pains. If he develops into a three-point threat and refines his rebounding and strength, Maluach has fringe All-Star upside. While he’s still a raw prospect, he showed enough flashes at Duke to be an early draft pick. Maluach’s physical tools and impressive development in college make him an intriguing prospect and a worthy lottery selection in the draft.