Just when we thought Duke's 2024 recruiting class couldn't get any better, the Blue Devils added another top-tier recruit who is guaranteed to be college basketball's most physically imposing player next season.
On Wednesday, Duke announced the signing of Khaman Maluach, a five-star, 7-foot-2 center who currently plays for NBA Academy Africa.
BREAKING: 2024 5?? Khaman Maluach (@khaman_maluach) has committed to Duke?? pic.twitter.com/q7GLz5QMDH
— Blue Devils (@BlueDevils) March 6, 2024
According to 247Sports, Maluach is the No. 1 center and the No. 3 overall prospect in the 2024 recruiting class.
Maluach — who, at 17 years old, already has a longer standing reach than Victor Wembanyama — picked Duke after also taking official visits to Kentucky, Kansas and UCLA, while also fielding offers from the G League Ignite and the Australian NBL's Next Stars program.
"Duke is home; that's where I belong." Maluach said to ESPN of his commitment. "This was the hardest decision I've ever made. I felt like I could succeed anywhere, but I was most comfortable going to Duke. All the schools that were recruiting me are big-time programs, but in terms of my development and the relationships I built with the coaches, they were the best."
Even before adding Maluach, Duke's 2024 recruiting class was already the stuff of legend. It includes the nation's No. 1 recruit and projected first overall pick of the 2025 NBA Draft pick Cooper Flagg, along with Isaiah Evans (No. 12 overall recruit), Kon Knueppel (No. 17 overall recruit), Patrick Ngongba (No. 18 overall recruit), and Darren Harris (No. 50 overall recruit).
As for Maluach, his insane physical gifts aren't the only aspect of his game that impresses.
"[Maluach's] size, length and energy are all outstanding while also possessing a tremendous amount of skill, able to step out and make shots from three, score on the block, catch lobs, switch on defense and of course, block shots," 247Sports analyst Travis Branham wrote.
Depending on whether Duke adds any more top recruits to their already ridiculous recruiting class, they could go down as the highest-rated of the 247Sports era, which started back in 1999.
Clearly Duke's second-year head coach Jon Scheyer knows what it takes to attract top-tier talent to Durham.
