7'2 star Khaman Maluach says Duke vs UNC atmosphere was more “electric” than his Olympics games

Khaman Maluach has played in big games before, having represented South Sudan in the 2024 Paris Olympics. Maluach made an interesting claim in a postgame chat with reporters, saying that those Olympic basketball games paled in comparison to the atmosphere he experienced in the Duke vs UNC clash at Cameron Indoor Stadium.

Maluach finally got his first taste of the rivalry game and the showdown lived up to the freshman center's expectations. He scored six points and grabbed six rebounds to help the No. 2 Duke Blue Devils record an 87-70 victory over the North Carolina Tar Heels.

"I mean, the atmosphere, it was electric," Maluach said. "From the jump till the end, it was electric at Cameron. It’s a different atmosphere. I would say it was probably the most electric game I played in my whole career. It’s really different out there. It’s a different energy."

A reporter got curious about Khaman Maluach's statement, telling the Duke big man:

"You played in the Olympics."

"Yeah, I played in the Olympics but not everybody in the Olympics was standing up watching the game," Maluach replied with a huge smile on his face.

Khaman Maluach played three games for South Sudan in the 2024 Paris Olympics. He scored two points in their opening group game against Puerto Rico, helping South Sudan record a 90-79 victory.

Maluach played two minutes in South Sudan's following game against powerhouse Team USA, finishing scoreless in the 103-86 loss. South Sudan got eliminated in the group stage after losing 96-85 to Serbia. Maluach failed to score a point again but grabbed two rebounds in South Sudan's final group game.

Khaman Maluach gets offensive help from Kon Knueppel and Cooper Flagg in Duke's win over UNC

Khaman Maluach had a pleasant experience in his first game against the North Carolina Tar Heels, thanks in large part to the play of his fellow starters. Kon Knueppel, Cooper Flagg, Tyrese Proctor and Sion James all scored in double figures for the Blue Devils, who extended their winning streak to 15 games.

Duke Blue Devils head coach Jon Scheyer talks with forward Cooper Flagg (#2) in the second half against the North Carolina Tar Heels at Cameron Indoor Stadium. Photo: Imagn

Knueppel torched North Carolina with 22 points. He shot 7-for-11 from the floor and 6-for-7 from the free-throw line. Flagg stuffed the sheet against the Tar Heels, scoring 21 points, grabbing eight rebounds and dishing out seven assists. He also displayed his defensive prowess, recording three steals and two blocks.