One of the world’s most exciting basketball talents is reportedly considering the NBL Next Stars program as his first foray into professional basketball according to ESPN's Jonathan Givony, who says South Sudanese star Khaman Maluach is currently weighing up his path to the NBA.

Maluach became the third-youngest player to ever feature at the FIBA World Cup earlier this year, where he played a crucial role in South Sudan’s historic run through the tournament despite being aged just 16 years old at the time.

Current NBL players Majok Deng (Tasmania), Sunday Dech (Adelaide) and Junior Madut (Tasmania) were part of the Black Stars’ roster for the tournament, while New Zealand’s Mangok Mathiang also featured for the nation in its pre-tournament campaign. Jo Lual-Acuil Jr (Melbourne) and Bul Kuol (Cairns) were forced to miss the tournament through injury.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Maluach is being recruited by Duke, Kentucky, UCLA, Kansas and Baylor. Other options include G League Ignite and the NBL Next Stars program, as well as staying with the NBA Academy Africa and becoming the first player ever to be drafted directly from Africa. <a href="https://t.co/RWugWzIQUR">https://t.co/RWugWzIQUR</a> <a href="https://t.co/10Ae1Spz0X">pic.twitter.com/10Ae1Spz0X</a></p>&mdash; Jonathan Givony (@DraftExpress) <a href="https://twitter.com/DraftExpress/status/1736507036362231834?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 17, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

The nation’s performance at the World Cup saw them clinch Olympic qualification less than a decade after the federation was inaugurated.

Maluach announced himself to Australian basketball fans during the ‘Boomers vs World’ pre-World Cup warmup games where he scored seven points in just six minutes against an Australian side featuring current and former NBA bigs Duop Reath, Jack White and Xavier Cooks. He then went on to feature four times in the tournament proper.

The 7'2" center has been developing his game at the NBA Academy Africa in Senegal since 2021. He averaged 21 points, 15.5 rebounds and 4.5 blocks, and shot 40 per cent from long range, in last month’s Basketball Africa League (BAL) qualifiers.

Maluach already has a familial connection within the Australian basketball landscape. His cousin, Makuach Maluach, is currently rostered to the Sydney Kings and scored a career-high 16 points against local rivals Illawarra in early November.

Makuach signed with the Kings this season after representing Melbourne United in NBL23.

The NBL Next Stars program has produced five NBA Draft picks across the past four years – three of whom were selected inside the lottery. LaMelo Ball was the third pick in the 2020 draft after a Rookie of the Year campaign with the Illawarra Hawks in 2020, while Josh Giddey (pick six, 2021) and Ousmane Dieng (pick 11, 2022) have since been taken as lottery selections.

Khaman Maluach impressed against the Boomers in the pre-World Cup 'Boomers vs World' campaign.

Perth’s Alexandre Sarr is currently ranked as a potential top pick of the upcoming draft, while Cairns forward Bobi Klintman is a current first round projection.

Now 17, Maluach has re-classified to the 2025 NBA Draft, which means he will be part of the same draft class as current Next Star, Brisbane fan favourite and NBA Global Academy graduate Rocco Zikarsky, who is currently ranked as a first-round pick in the 2025 class.