College Basketball
NBA Draft 2025: Khaman Maluach Scouting Report, NBA Comparison, & Projection
Ben Pfeifer graduated from the University of Missouri with degrees in Psychology and Journalism. He has worked in basketball scouting covering the NBA and the draft for over a half-decade, working for various outlets. Now, he covers the NBA, the draft and high school basketball.
Get to know Ben Pfeifer betterPublished05 Apr 2025
Khaman Maluach made waves playing in the Olympics for South Sudan last summer and has built upon that at Duke. He’s the 2025 draft’s primary anchor big man prospect and has proven himself a potent interior presence on both ends of the floor
- Team: Duke
- Height: 7’2
- Weight: 250 lbs
- Wingspan: 7’5
- Age: 18.8 years (September 14th, 2006)
Khaman Maluach — Center, Duke (18.8 years old)
Advanced Impact Score per 40 minutes: 14.0 (10th)
NBA Comparison: Rudy Gobert, Mitchell Robinson
A unique blend of size, mobility and touch make Maluach a difficult player to find comparisons for. His highest-end outcome could look like Gobert or Robinson, specializing as an eraser at the basket and play finisher on offense. Maluach’s athletic and skill strengths differ from those two players, but his pathway to high-end impact could be similar.
Strengths
- Garguantuan human being with the size and wingspan to tower over most NBA players
- Fluid, loose hips for his size, capable of switching on the perimeter and defending near the level of the screen
- Potential for full-slate pick and roll defense versatility — drop, hedge, switch, trap, show
- Has made significant strides with his defensive technique and timing as a shot blocker over the last year
- Phenomenal touch at the basket, excellent lob and roll finisher even when not dunking
- High motor defender, constantly making second and third efforts
- Fourth youngest player in the draft and only has five years of basketball experience, marking plenty of room to grow
Weaknesses
- Lacks the elite vertical explosiveness present in many high-end rim protectors
- Still raw on offense, limited passer/dribbler at this stage
- Developing 3-point shooter with only limited flashes
- Must add strength to maintain position versus contact on the block
- Lacks the base and hand strength to consistently rebound in traffic
Offensive role: Interior Scorer/Play Finisher
Defensive role: Defensive Anchor/Versatile Pick and Roll Coverage
2025 NBA Draft Projection: Round 1, Pick 4
Like many teenage bigs, Maluach must make significant strides with his feel for the game and physical strength. His size, mobility and touch could help him develop into a unique defensive weapon with hidden offensive potential to unlock later down the line.
