Who is No. 9 for Duke basketball? Meet Khaman Maluach, Blue Devils' star 7-2 center
Show Caption
Hide Caption
Players and legends explain why this Final Four could be an all-timer
Duke, Auburn, Houston and Florida all made it to the Final Four as No. 1 seeds and they explain why you shouldn't look at that as a bad thing.
Sports Seriously
Duke men's basketball forward Khaman Maluach might be lesser known than some of his teammates like Cooper Flagg and Kon Knueppel, but the true freshman is nothing short of an elite talent.
Maluach, who stands a whopping 7-foot-2, has seen his game grow tremendously since the start of the season, and he has played a key role for the Blue Devils all season. His play has also put him firmly on the NBA draft radar, with his stock soaring into lottery territory.
REQUIRED READING: Duke freshmen thriving outside Cooper Flagg's shadow when lights are brightest
The Rumbek, South Sudan native is averaging 8.7 points and 6.8 rebounds per game on a loaded Duke roster and makes up the Blue Devils' big three of true freshmen starters that are all expected to hear their name called in the upcoming NBA draft.
Here's everything to know of Maluach, who's looking to win a national championship in potentially his lone college basketball season:
Who is No. 9 for Duke basketball?
Maluach wears No. 9 for Duke men's basketball team. He's a 7-foot-2 forward and starter for the Blue Devils.
Maluach came to Duke from the NBA Global Academy in Africa, where he blossomed into one of the top recruits of the 2024 cycle. He was the No. 3 overall player and No. 1-ranked center in 2024, according to 247Sports' Composite rankings.
Maluach also participated in the 2024 Olympic Games as a member of the South Sudan basketball team, where he played in three games but only averaged 4.3 minutes per contest.
Khaman Maluach wingspan
Maluach has a 7-foot-5 wingspan and provides perhaps the best length of any forward in college basketball. His shot-blocking and defensive potential makes him quite the NBA prospect.
Khaman Maluach height
Maluach stands 7-foot-2 and has a 9-foot-8 standing reach.
Khaman Maluach NBA mock draft
Here are the latest NBA mock draft projections for Maluach:
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
42 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Larry Bird knew he still had it after hitting 20 shots in a row in his 60s: "I can still play a little"
Larry Bird knew he still had it after hitting 20 shots in a row in his 60s: "I can still play a little" originally appeared on Basketball Network. Nothing ever stopped Larry Bird from retiring when he decided that he was done with basketball in 1992. Though he remained in the NBA as a coach and later as a team executive, Bird never felt the itch to suit up and play again. Unlike other retired former NBA stars, Bird was very much at peace with his departure from the game. He had no hang-ups, even though he was prompted to call it quits because of chronic back pain. However, Bird realized that his hot hand hasn't diminished one bit. It's worth mentioning that he was already in his 60s when he randomly decided to pick the ball up after an Indiana Pacers practice and discovered that he still had it. "I'm having a good time, I have the time to enjoy working outside, golfing, fishing, staying busy with various business and personal projects," the Boston Celtics legend told The Boston Herald in 2021. "I pretty much put the basketball down when I retired, but I did hit 20 shots in a row after a game practice a couple of years ago in my street clothes, so I am thinking I can still play a little," the Hall of Famer fondly revealed. Bird has a witness As it turns out, no lies were detected in Bird's story. Former Pacers star shooting guard Paul George once confirmed it. In fact, it was one of George's favorite Larry Legend moments during his time with the Pacers. Just like how Bird described it, George said the NBA icon was in street clothes that day. To this day, PG13 is still in disbelief at how a 60-something Bird could sink long-range shot after long-range shot. What's even more epic is that Bird just walked out like nothing happened after making those shots in front of the team. "One of my all-time favorite stories of Larry; it was after practice, right?" PG once recounted. "We're shooting, and he's like walking out of the gym, about to leave. I've never seen him play. I've never seen him shoot. I always had this vision of him from YouTube videos and old clips like that. But the ball rolls over to him. He's in slacks. He's in a button-down. He got his loafers on." "So, he picks the ball up, and I'm sure he probably hasn't shot the ball in like, I don't know, years at this point. Shoots that motherfu*ker, cash, and then just smooth walked out, bro," then Pacers star added. Bird's greatness is timeless What Bird did inside the Pacers' practice facility that day only goes to show that his greatness is timeless. While some of his contemporaries were already out of shape, Larry Legend could still casually drain jump shots without any practice or warm-up. At present, Bird was welcomed back by the Pacers and is working with the team as a consultant. He is already 68 years old, but it wouldn't be a shock to hear another story about him showing up in the gym, picking up a basketball and hitting long-range like it is the middle of the story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Aug 17, 2025, where it first appeared.
USA Today
an hour ago
- USA Today
Lakers jersey history No. 4 — Adrian Dantley
Through the 2024-25 season, the Los Angeles Lakers have had a total of 506 players suit up for them, going back to their days in Minneapolis. Some were forgettable, some were serviceable, some were good and a select few were flat-out legendary. As the Lakers approach their 80th season of existence (they were founded back in 1946 as the Detroit Gems in the National Basketball League), LeBron Wire is taking a look at each player who has worn their jersey, whether it has been a purple and gold one or the ones they donned back in the Midwest during their early years. Here's a look at a player who some may not know once played for the Lakers — Adrian Dantley. Dantley had a stellar individual stint at the University of Notre Dame, not exactly a school known for its basketball program. In three years there, he averaged 25.8 points and 9.8 rebounds a game, and he peaked at 30.4 points a game as a sophomore. When he was a freshman during the 1973-74 season, the Fighting Irish were the team that ended the University of California, Los Angeles' 88-game winning streak. The Bruins were led by legends such as center Bill Walton and forward Jamaal Wilkes and were coached by the iconic John Wooden. Just after his college career ended, Dantley earned an Olympic gold medal with the United States. He was taken with the No. 6 pick in the 1976 NBA Draft by the Buffalo Braves. Early in his second NBA season, he was traded to the Lakers. The Lakers were trying to build a championship team around Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and he didn't do too badly. In one and a half seasons with them, he averaged 18.3 points a game while shooting 51.5% from the field. But L.A. was simply too unbalanced to get over the hump. It had Dantley, a 6-foot-5 forward, and Wilkes, who was 6-foot-6, starting at the forward spots, and neither was able to support Abdul-Jabbar defensively or on the boards. With Magic Johnson coming on board as a rookie in 1979, the Lakers traded Dantley to the Utah Jazz for the talented but troubled Spencer Haywood. In Utah, he truly started to blossom — he would average 29.6 points a game in seven seasons with the Jazz and lead the NBA in scoring twice. He then played two seasons and change with the Detroit Pistons before getting traded to the Dallas Mavericks midway through the 1988-89 campaign. No matter where he went, Dantley made an impact with his immense scoring skills. Despite his less-than-ideal height as a small forward, he had an excellent low-post game, and he was also a free throw magnet who shot 81.8% from the charity stripe for his career.
USA Today
2 hours ago
- USA Today
Kenrich Williams receives Key to the City from hometown of Waco, Texas
When you win an NBA championship, expect a busy summer where you're praised for the special achievement only a handful of players earn every year. The Oklahoma City Thunder have seen that firsthand over the last two months. The Thunder completed one of the greatest seasons ever with the Larry O'Brien trophy. A historic 68-14 regular season translated to the playoffs. They captured a championship with a Game 7 win over the Indiana Pacers in the 2025 NBA Finals. As the NBA enters its dead period of the calendar, players across the league have returned to their hometowns for the next two months before the 2025-26 regular season starts. Back in Waco, Texas, Kenrich Williams was welcomed like an NBA champion. Williams received a Key to the City from his hometown of Waco. He joins a long list of Thunder players who received gifts and were celebrated when they returned to their homes this offseason after they won an NBA championship. Waco Mayor Jim Holmes announced the special occasion on social media. "We were honored to host a Champion in our most recent City Council Meeting, as Waco Native Son Kenrich Williams came back to Waco after starring in the recent Oklahoma City Thunder NBA Playoff Championship," Holmes wrote. "He was an outstanding student-athlete at Waco University High and Texas Christian University, and I was proud to present Kenrich with a Key to the City. A wonderful guy with a beautiful family; and a really cool Mom!" Kenrich Williams is one of the longest-tenured active Thunder players with five seasons under his belt. Only Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Lu Dort have been in OKC longer. From being a throw-in in the 2020 Steven Adams trade to carving out a rotation spot, he's had one of the better developmental stories. Williams averaged 6.3 points and 3.5 rebounds last season. He shot 38.6% from 3 on 2.5 attempts. The 30-year-old helped the Thunder in their championship run. He was a matchup-dependent rotation player who enabled OKC to play small-ball in the playoffs when needed. Williams has always been proud of growing up in Texas. He spent four college seasons at TCU from 2014-18. The Horned Frogs retired his jersey in 2024. He goes back to Waco every offseason to hold basketball camp and do giveaways for kids. Kenrich Williams was given a Key to the City from his hometown of Waco on Saturday
