In a moment that will reverberate across the African sports landscape for years to come, South Sudanese prodigy Khaman Maluach was selected with the 10th overall pick by the Houston Rockets in the 2025 NBA Draft—becoming the highest-drafted product of the NBA Academy Africa and a beacon of hope for the continent’s basketball ecosystem.
The 18-year-old’s selection, announced on the grand stage in New York City, marks more than just the next chapter in a remarkable personal journey—from the refugee camps of Uganda to the bright lights of the NBA. It is a transformative milestone for African basketball, affirming the continent’s growing relevance and talent pipeline in the global game.
Maluach, born in Rumbek, South Sudan, fled his homeland following the outbreak of civil war in 2013. Raised in a refugee camp in Kawempe, Uganda, he did not pick up a basketball until the age of 13—a late start by professional standards. But destiny intervened when he attended a youth tournament hosted by South Sudanese NBA veteran Luol Deng in 2019. At 7-foot-2, Maluach’s towering frame and raw potential quickly set him apart. 
