Maluach, born in South Sudan but raised in a refugee camp in Kawempe, Kampala, was the 10th overall pick in this year’s NBA Draft.

He now heads to the Phoenix Suns — part of the return Phoenix received in exchange for Durant.

Maluach’s basketball journey began in unlikely circumstances. After fleeing conflict in South Sudan in 2013, he settled with his family in Uganda.

In Kawempe, resources were scarce. Basketball courts were nearly non-existent. But everything changed when a boda boda rider pulled over and urged the tall teenager to try basketball.

That moment sparked a journey that led him from makeshift courts and long walks to train in Kampala, to becoming a standout at a basketball camp hosted by NBA star Luol Deng.

His raw talent and height — now a towering 7 feet 2 inches — caught the attention of scouts. He joined the NBA Academy Africa in Senegal in 2021, sharpening his skills before earning a spot at Duke University in the US in 2024.

This summer, Maluach achieved what once felt like a fantasy. He was drafted by the Houston Rockets — becoming the highest-drafted NBA Academy Africa graduate — then almost immediately moved to the Phoenix Suns in the blockbuster trade.

After his selection, he said he planned to send his draft hat back to Uganda, to the two local coaches who introduced him to the sport.

Now part of the Suns roster, Maluach is set to begin his rookie season alongside some of the NBA’s brightest names.

The post Durant’s Trade Sends Ugandan-Raised Khaman Maluach to Phoenix Suns appeared first on NBS Sport.

At just 18, Maluach became the highest-drafted African player in NBA history when the Houston Rockets picked him 10th overall on Wednesday night.

While he was born in Rumbek, South Sudan, it was in Uganda where his basketball dream began — specifically in a refugee camp in Kawempe, on the outskirts of Kampala.

Ugandans who watched the NBA Draft on TV saw a young man who once walked the dusty streets of Kawempe overcome the odds and step onto basketball’s biggest stage.

Maluach moved to Uganda in 2013, fleeing the civil war in South Sudan. He lived with his family in a refugee settlement where basketball courts were few and far between.

But one day, a boda rider stopped him on the road and, impressed by his height, suggested he try basketball.

He eventually took the advice seriously after attending a basketball camp hosted by former NBA star Luol Deng in 2019. The tournament changed his life.

“I didn’t know anything about basketball,” Maluach once said, recalling how he used to walk 45 minutes to find a court in Kampala. “There were no facilities.”

Standing at 7-foot-2, he towered over his peers in Kawempe. That height, matched with hard work, earned him a place at the NBA Academy Africa in Senegal.

From there, his journey accelerated. In 2024, he joined Duke University in the US — one of the top college basketball programs.

And now, in 2025, he’s heading to the NBA.

Although the Rockets announced the pick, Maluach will suit up for the Phoenix Suns next season. His draft rights were traded earlier in a deal involving superstar Kevin Durant.

Maluach’s connection to Uganda runs deep.

Before the draft, he proudly opened his jacket to reveal flags from both Uganda and South Sudan stitched inside. After the ceremony, he said he’d send his draft hat back to Uganda — to the two coaches who first taught him the fundamentals of the game.

“My parents are still in Uganda,” he said. “They raised me right. I want to bring my mom to the US and change her life.”

Maluach’s story has become a source of inspiration for young players across Uganda.

Coaches, players, and fans are celebrating him not just as a South Sudanese success, but as a symbol of what’s possible for any child growing up in East Africa with a dream.

The post From Kawempe to the NBA: Khaman Maluach’s Journey Through Uganda appeared first on NBS Sport.