Maluach is the anchor of arguably the best defense in college basketball.
Name: Khaman Maluach
Class: Freshman
Height: 7-2
Position: Center
Statistics: 8.4 points, 5.3 rebounds, .9 blocks. 79.2% FG, 33.3% 3PT (3 total attempts), 80% FT.
Previous prospect profiles have covered two highly productive freshmen centers in Thomas Sorber and Derik Queen. Duke’s Khaman Maluach has also impressed this season but is a unique prospect compared to Queen and Sorber. Maluach projects as more of a shot-blocker and lob threat but could potentially be elite at both.
So far on the season, he’s averaging less than one block a game but that’s largely because so few players are willing to challenge him. Detering people from even entering the lane is arguably more valuable than blocking them once they get there.
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He’ll likely play mostly in drop coverage in the NBA but he’s as mobile as anyone you’ll see over 7-feet tall. Even if a quicker guard gets by him on a switch, he still has the premier length needed to make up for it.
On the offensive end, he mostly just finishes plays around them – something he’s very effective at. Converting on nearly 80% of your shot attempts regardless of where they come from is impressive. Picturing him as a vertical spacer alongside an elite point guard in the NBA is fun to think about.
Given what he’s already doing defensively and as a play-finisher, he’s already an intriguing draft prospect. When you consider he’s still relatively new to the game and has a lot of untapped potential he becomes even more appealing.
He hasn’t displayed much perimeter shooting thus far but he’s a very comfortable free-throw shooter and has good touch. It seems like a worthwhile bet that he’ll develop into a shooter after his time in college. Although to be fair, similar things were suggested of Mark Williams, his closest NBA comparison, and Williams has yet to even attempt an NBA three-pointer.
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Maluach finds himself pretty comfortable in the lottery of most draft boards right now but usually in the back half. If the Wizards somehow find themselves drafting outside of the Top 5, someone with his physical gifts would likely be on their short list of players to consider.
Given Alex Sarr’s proclivity for hanging around the perimeter thus far, Maluach may be a good complement. The “Twin Towers” approach may be slightly more palatable to NBA teams given the success of a team like Cleveland and that duo plus Bilal Coulibaly would form an elite defensive frontcourt.
For more on Maluach’s potential fit with the Washington Wizards and next to Alex Sarr, check out the latest Bleav in Wizards podcast.