Duke basketball signee breaks professional league record for blocks in a game

The potential of the Duke basketball team on the defensive end of the court next season is already staggering, but there is still so much more room to improve.

One of the biggest reasons why the Blue Devils are expected to excel defensively is 5-star center Khaman Maluach, who signed his National Letter of Intent last week. He is an NBA Academy Africa prospect, who is currently projected to be selected in the Top-3 of the 2025 NBA Draft.

Before Maluach arrives in Durham to begin his freshman season, he will complete another season in the Basketball Africa League (BAL), which is a professional league created between FIBA and the NBA. The 7-foot-1 center is still keeping his eligibility collegiately despite playing in the league.

This year is much different for Maluach in the BAL than his first two seasons, shattering his own career-highs and breaking records that have been set in the league.

On April 20, he set a new career-high with 29 points and 11 rebounds. Just a few days later he posted 16 points, 19 rebounds, and seven blocks. The rebounds were a career-high for the former Blue Devil and his seven blocks were a new league record.

He's averaging 18.1 points, 13.5 rebounds, and 2.8 blocks per game in six contests.

Khaman Maluach will also compete in the 2024 Paris Olympics with South Sudan before joining Duke's workouts.

Maluach projects as the Blue Devils starting center this season, creating a formidable frontcourt with Cooper Flagg, the top ranked prospect in the Class of 2024. While the two will be young and inexperienced, the potential they bring on both ends of the court immediately makes Duke a favorite to win the National Championship next season.

Isaiah Evans, Kon Knueppel, and Darren Harris will also enter Durham next season in the team's top ranked recruiting class.