“The Orange ball has taken me so far.” A simple sentence with a lot of emotions, tears, and sweat in it. This is for those who don’t believe in fate. A fate that changed Duke Blue Devil’s star Khaman Maluach’s life. A fate that handed him the opportunity to script history. Along with his hard work, a fate handed him a chance to affect his native people’s lives.
At 13, when Maluach’s interest in basketball sparked, he didn’t have access to the right resources, facilities, or even shoes. He hadn’t attended school in two years because of the hefty fees after moving to Uganda because of unrest in his home country. It would take a chance encounter with local basketball coach Akech Wuoi Garang to get him enrolled in a school, NBA Academy, and eventually Duke Basketball. The 7’2″ center is putting his nation on the map and here’s the background that has shaped his journey.
What is Khaman Maluach’s ethnicity?
Khaman Maluach, a Blue Devil, hails from South Sudan with no distinction in ethnicity available to public knowledge. Chris Ebersole of the NBA, quoted in a Slam feature (via Sportskeeda), praised Khaman’s humility and respectfulness, traits that could stem from his upbringing by his mother.
What is Khaman Maluach’s nationality? Where was he born?
Born in 2006 in South Sudan, Khaman Maluach’s family fled to neighboring Uganda during the long-running conflict which eventually led to South Sudan gaining independence from Sudan in 2011. Maluach spent his early years in Kawempe, a town on the outskirts of Kampala, the Ugandan capital. While his father remained in South Sudan to work, Khaman spent most of his time with his mother, six siblings, and relatives.
Still sticking with his nationality, Khaman helped Sudan to qualify for the Olympics at the age of 16. He was the third youngest player to appear in the FIBA WC as he made his debut in a victory against China. Claiming the best rank among African teams with the best offensive record, South Sudan qualified for the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics.
It wasn’t easy to get there. Talking to BBC while playing for his national basketball team, Maluach recalled his early struggles and how he worked hard to reach the international level. “Me and my brother would do this thing called a ‘night shift’,” Maluach explained. “When it reaches 12 midnight, they [the telecommunications company], give you a lot of [mobile data] at a cheaper price. The whole time, I would watch those guys.” Reason for this? Just to watch, learn, and get inspiration from established basketball players. “I used to see Giannis’ jab step, and then with Joel, I learned the shimmy. If they can make it there, I can make it there too.”
It was in early 2020, that while walking down the street that he caught Garang’s eyes. Impressed by his willingness to learn and humble nature, the coach arranged for him to attend nearby Bethel Covenant for free. He also joined the school’s basketball team. Maluach took off from there. At home, he stacked together two or three large tires, making a rim of appropriate height, and practiced his shots, with one basketball through the top tire every day.
It paid off when he joined the Duke Blue Devils class of 2025.
What religion does Khaman Maluach follow?
Khaman Maluach’s story is certainly very movie-like and his work ethics are commendable. The star is a firm believer in God and we know why. Prioritizing health in all his busy workouts and schedules, Khaman said, “Staying close to God to keep me healthy and keep my process clean. I pray every day to keep my journey safe and keep pushing me daily.”
“Basketball means a big thing to me. I believe it’s a gift God gave me to impact other people’s lives and to change my family’s life,” he told BBC Sport Africa. “I’m trying to get better every stop I’m on,” Maluach said. While Khaman Maluach’s religion is not known, his region widely has people following Christianity.
The post What Is Khaman Maluach’s Ethnicity & Religion? Digging Deeper Into Duke Star’s Nationality and Family Background appeared first on EssentiallySports.
