From escaping civil war in South Sudan to 10th pick at NBA Draft

Khaman Maluach utilized to dream nan intolerable arsenic he walked nan dusty streets of Kawempe, a disadvantaged suburb connected nan outskirts of Uganda's superior Kampala.

On Wednesday evening, that dream became a reality arsenic nan 18-year-old's sanction echoed done nan Barclays Center successful Brooklyn, having been announced arsenic nan 10th prime astatine nan 2025 National Basketball Association (NBA) Draft.

Forced to play his first games wearing Crocs aft taking up nan athletics aged 13, Maluach's talent has already seen him correspond South Sudan astatine nan Fiba World Cup and nan Olympic Games.

Even so, nan 7ft 1in centre was flooded pinch emotion - pinch tears intelligibly evident alongside his grin - erstwhile he posed connected shape pinch NBA commissioner Adam Silver.

"I didn't deliberation I was going to cry," Maluach said.

"But everything was conscionable going done my head; my full journey, my group and nan continent I represent.

"I believed successful myself. I was illusion astir my dreams. No matter what nan likelihood are against you, it shows that you tin win."

The teen had worn a typical suit overgarment for nan occasion, pinch lining which displayed nan South Sudanese and Ugandan flags.

Back location successful Entebbe, Uganda, wherever his family is based, joyousness had erupted.

His mother, Mary Aweng, elder relative Majok Madit Maluach and different siblings burst into a celebratory creation and said a heartfelt dream arsenic they heard his sanction called.

Majok described nan infinitesimal arsenic "a blessing" for nan family and for Africa.

Maluach's family had planned to beryllium by his side, but their visa applications were denied because of a United States recreation prohibition affecting South Sudanese citizens.

Only his sister Agum Madit, who is based successful Australia, was capable to be nan arena successful New York.

Maluach's coach from nan Solid Skills Academy successful Kampala, nan programme that first scouted him, was besides meant to beryllium there.

"That was really unfortunate. It has taken portion of our joy," coach Wal Deng told BBC Sport Africa.

"But nevertheless, we're so, truthful proud of him.

"It's for illustration a dream that's really reality. Seeing really acold he's come, from learning nan basics of hoops to now joining nan NBA, this is simply a infinitesimal of immense joy."

Maluach's position successful nan USA now looks secure.

After signing pinch Duke University he had obtained an F1 visa, nan modular US student visa, which was subsequently paused for South Sudanese nationals successful April.

That F1 position had already shifted backmost to a tourer visa while Maluach awaited nan NBA Draft.

Now officially drafted, he will modulation to a P1 visa, typically granted to master athletes competing successful awesome US leagues.

Many of nan NBA's world players stay connected P1 visas for nan long of their careers.

Born successful 2006 successful Rumbek, South Sudan, Maluach's family fled to neighbouring Uganda to flight conflict.

Raised by his mother alongside six siblings successful Kawempe, hoops only entered his life aft a boda boda (motorcycle taxi) rider encouraged him to return up nan athletics because of his height.

"The closest tribunal was a one-hour locomotion and I didn't moreover person shoes," Maluach told BBC Sport Africa past year.

Yet his imaginable was quickly spotted by section coaches Deng and Aketch Garang.

"He learned truthful quickly," Deng said. "I told Aketch this kid would beryllium nan adjacent large thing."

Within a year, Maluach had earned a danasiwa to nan NBA Academy Africa successful Dakar, Senegal, his first awesome leap toward nan world stage.

The teen credits competing against nan champion talent connected nan continent pinch helping him "level up".

By 16, he was playing for South Sudan's nationalist team, helping them suffice for their first-ever Olympics via their performances astatine nan 2023 Fiba World Cup.

His performances successful nan Basketball Africa League and MVP honours astatine nan 2023 Basketball Without Borders Africa campy cemented his position arsenic a apical prospect, and he committed to playing for Duke.

Five years aft first stepping onto a court, Maluach is group to return nan adjacent measurement connected a singular travel which has been built connected belief and persistence.

"It's a time I'll ne'er forget," he said aft being selected by nan Houston Rockets, and past instantly traded to nan Phoenix Suns.

Deng, watching from afar, beamed pinch pride.

"Seeing him spell from learning nan basics to nan highest level is really thing rare," he said.

"He's a motion of dream to each African kid that thing is possible."

Maluach is keenly alert of his domiciled beyond nan court.

"I want to alteration nan communicative of really group spot Africa," he said.

"I'm reasoning astir showing them nan awesome places successful Africa for illustration Kigali, Senegal, safaris. The cultures and nan group we person is different from nan worldly they spot connected TV."

The centre is eager to get started successful Phoenix.

"I'm going to study really to navigate nan league, really to get amended and really to enactment accordant each year," he said.

"I'm excited to put connected nan Suns jersey that says 'Maluach' connected nan back."

His Duke team-mate Cooper Flagg whitethorn person been nan apical Draft pick, but Maluach has not hidden his ain lofty ambitions of reaching nan NBA Hall of Fame.

He has modelled his crippled connected nan likes of Giannis Antetokounmpo and Joel Embiid, and he now hopes to stock nan tribunal pinch those very idols.

"I believed successful myself earlier anyone other did," he said. "Let God return attraction of nan rest."

After making nan dream travel from war-torn South Sudan to nan NBA, millions of African children will beryllium watching and believing they excessively tin make it.