Maliq Brown will always be a fan favorite in Durham. In his time at Duke, Brown established himself as one of the most disruptive defenders in the nation, consistently changing the game with his ability to switch on to guards, create turnovers, and protect the rim. He embraced his role as a defender and played a major part in Duke finishing in the top five in KenPom's adjusted defensive efficiency in consecutive seasons.
That impact was reflected in a decorated senior season, where he was named ACC Defensive Player of the Year, ACC Sixth Man of the Year, and earned All-ACC Defensive Team honors. He also took home the Lefty Driesell Award, given yearly to the top defensive player in Division I basketball. With Brown's time at Duke coming to a close, it's now about supporting him as he looks to earn a spot on an NBA roster and hear his name called during the draft.
And with his recent performance on the first night of the NBA Combine, he could be rising on draft boards quickly.
NBA Draft Combine performance could help Maliq Brown climb draft boards
Despite coming off an elite defensive season at Duke, Brown has never been viewed as a top prospect in this year's class. In ESPN analyst Jeremy Woo's latest two-round mock draft, Brown was projected to go undrafted. However, after a strong first night at the NBA Draft Combine, he could begin climbing draft boards in the coming weeks.
In the three-quarter court sprint, Brown tied for the fastest time among the first group of participants after posting an impressive 3.07-second time. That was far from the only thing that stood out, as Brown's measurements helped explain why he was such a nightmare defensively at Duke.
2026 AWS NBA Draft Combine anthro measurements for Duke’s Maliq Brown:
— Jon Chepkevich (@JonChep) May 12, 2026
6’8” barefoot, 216.6 pounds with a 7’0 ¾" wingspan and 8’11” standing reach pic.twitter.com/KQwh7gimWn
Brown's nearly 7-foot-1 wingspan should immediately jump off the page for NBA scouts. That kind of length, paired with his defensive instincts, could be intriguing to front offices looking for value in the second round. While his defense speaks for itself, Brown's offensive game still needs work if he's going to carve out a consistent role in the NBA, especially coming in at 6-foot-8.
If he's able to land with a team willing to be patient with his development, particularly on the offensive end, Brown could grow into a valuable contributor to an NBA franchise down the road.
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