"It’s going to be a damn movie next year": NBA academy star Khaman Maluach's Duke commitment has college hoops fans excited

The Duke Blue Devils may be gearing up for the 2024 NCAA Tournament but the recruiting scales continue to tip in their favor as well. It was announced today that five-star player Khaman Maluach from NBA Academy Africa has officially committed to the Duke Blue Devils and it definitely got people excited for the future.

Khaman Maluach is one of the top basketball prospects in the world right now and is graduating high school this summer. He is 17 years old and standing at 7-foot-2. He was coveted by many big-name programs but Duke has seemingly won the race. He said(quotes h/t ESPN):

"Duke is home; that's where I belong. This was the hardest decision I've ever made. I felt like I could succeed anywhere, but I was most comfortable going to Duke. All the schools that were recruiting me are big-time programs, but in terms of my development and the relationships I built with the coaches, they were the best."

Below are some of the reactions to the news of the Blue Devils landing Maluach.

Speaking to ESPN in December when it was announced he would be eligible to play college basketball in the 2024-25 season, Khaman Maluach made sure it was known what he was looking for in a college program.

"I want to go somewhere where they put my development first. Get me ready for the next step, but also winning too. I would like to go somewhere where I can win a championship." h/t ESPN

Well, it seems Maluach has made the decision to join one of the most talented programs in the nation. It will be interesting to see how he does in college basketball as he could reportedly be the top pick in the 2025 NBA draft.

What should we expect out of Khaman Maluach with the Duke Blue Devils?

While it is sometimes difficult with international talents to immediately come to the United States and dominate, Khaman Maluach has experience against stiff competition. At 17 years old, he played two games in FIBA for South Sudan and finished with 1.5 points, 4.5 rebounds and 1.0 blocks in 15.0 minutes per game.

With the talent that the Blue Devils will have next season, many believe they will not be asking Maluach to do too much and instead, let him develop on their quest for another national championship.