Duke center Khaman Maluach may be moving up draft boards after a “wildly positive” pro day in which he showcased his shooting touch, writes Jonathan Wasserman of Hoops HQ.
According to Wasserman, some NBA scouts believe that Maluach has a chance to be selected in the top five of this month’s draft, perhaps by the Hornets (No. 4) or Jazz (No. 5). The South Sudanese big man is ranked No. 6 on ESPN’s best available prospects list.
Here are a few more draft rumors from Wasserman:
- Stanford center Maxime Raynaud was one of the big winners of the pre-draft process, excelling in the first day of scrimmages and measuring better than some other big men in the class. While scouts initially thought Raynaud had moved himself into late first-round territory after the combine, they now think he could be selected in the teens or early 20s, Wasserman writes.
- Penn State big man Yanic Konan Niederhauser is another player who shined during the pre-draft process, particularly at the G League Elite Camp. According to Wasserman, Niederhauser was largely off NBA radars a month ago, but now teams believe he will receive legitimate consideration late in the first round. There have been rumors that the Swiss center may have received a promise after he decided to keep his name in the draft, Wasserman notes, though that hasn’t been confirmed. Niederhauser is ranked No. 34 on ESPN’s board.
- Cedric Coward, the 29th-ranked prospect on ESPN’s list, appears to have a wide draft range. Some NBA personnel Wasserman has spoken to have a lottery projection for the Washington State wing, while others think he’s only a potential first-round pick. Coward only played six games for the Cougars due to an injury and was relatively unheralded until this season, but he had excellent physical measurements and tested very well at the combine, making him the “ultimate high-risk, high-reward” prospect, per Wasserman.
Not a college guy but I’ve thought Khaman was in play at 3 from the beginning, really like the fit w Cha at 4 as well…ditto for Wiz at 6 , Brk at 8
Hes the type of guy we might see someone trade up into the top 10 for draft night if they feel hes a 10 year answer at the position
We are kinda in an era where we don’t have enough bigs to support the league, old heads are aging out and we haven’t had the influx of talent to curtail that in recent drafts. Some of that has to do with GMs perhaps swinging too far into Centerless basketball and not paying enough attention to the position
Has there ever been enough bigs to support the league? Skilled 7-footers are quite rare. The league has always had 6’9 – 6’10 guys playing the center position.
Maluach is South* Sudanese
Sorry, but the last thing I want to see from Maluach is “shooting touch”. We have seen multiple non shooting bigs succeed recently, thats not a must. Making short roll passes and being able to hold your own guarding perimeter players is far more important.
But hey if nba gms are hyped up about a 7’4 making shots at a workout, who am I to say anything.
In today’s NBA, bigs need to PASS, DEFEND ON THE PERIMETER, MAKE FREE THROWS, and SCREEN & ROLL EFFICIENTLY. That’s it. Shooting threes is cool, but that’s extra.
So since three of the four teams in the semi-finals had big men that could shoot (Chet, towns, turner). Both finals teams have a center that can shoot and last years champion had a center that can shoot and the champion before that had a center that can shoot. It would seem that the “extra” helps get you a title.
Come to think of it, the last five champs had a center that can shoot threes. Brook Lopez, AD, Drayman, Jokic, Porzingis. This year the camp will have a center that can shoot threes as well (Turner of Chet). That is 6 in a row. If I was a gm I would be pretty darn excited about a big athletic center that can shoot as well.
Best players in the world Jokic and Embiid say STFU …….
You can’t teach size. Basketball is a 2Way sport. And only a true C can be a rim protector …. So
If you can find a true big. Even if it’s only on D. He is very valuable. Maluach is Mutombo with offense. Mutombo is a HOFer ….
Raynaud is going to have a really solid career… should really be a lottery pick.
I’m hoping for a slide to late first, lol.
Maluach will not be boring like Gobert.
Top 5 huh? Oh how times have changed. Young man been playing ball about 6 months (slight exaggeration) and top 5. Remember Tim Duncan? Came in quite complete and ready if memory serves me correct.
Seems your memory is failing you. Duncan was drafted almost 30 years ago. Since then, 1-and-done has been the rule. Duncan played 4 years at Wake Forest. There is a big difference. Especially big men.
Sixers should take Maluach. But they won’t. I hope the Nets take him …
Maluach is Sudanese. Didn’t trump just sign an order banning them from the USA? I read an article a while back regarding him and a potential immigration issue. Raps take him they could keep him in TO for 41 games…
He’s from South Sudan plus he is part of the favored class now as a pro athlete where they get to live by different rules. America, home of the free.
Maluach grew up elsewhere and has dual citizenship. He will be fine. He does not have to use his South Sudan passport.