NBA Academy Africa: The League’s Next Great Feeder System, Part I
Evaluating the eminence of the academy’s top NBA prospects, Khaman Maluach and Ulrich Chomche
The basketball world at large is slowly beginning to realize what a small piece of the community has been shouting from the rooftops for years:
“The future of basketball runs through Africa.”
That’s how ESPN NBA Draft Analyst and Draft Express Founder, Jonathan Givony put it after getting a live look at all three NBA Academies at the 2023 G League Winter Showcase.
NBA Academy Africa was launched just six years ago in Saly, Senegal at the same time as academies were created in India and Australia. It has placed alumni all over college and professional ranks and this season is no different. Churchill Abass and Dramane Camara joined Depaul’s program this season and Washington State big man Rueben Chinyelu is off to a good start to his freshman season. Ibou Badji recently signed a two-way contract with the Portland Trailblazers. Meanwhile, Thierry Darlan and Babacar Sane are with the G-League Ignite, working to improve their stock before the upcoming NBA Draft.
The academy’s current class has the opportunity to make history with their impact on the NBA and basketball in relation to Africa. From becoming the first Africans drafted directly from the continent to play NBA minutes or challenging deeply rooted beliefs about how African players are perceived, evaluated and coached. Loads of responsibility rests on the shoulders of these young men, and they’re proving why they are ready for the big stage in every sense of the phrase. Let us introduce you to two of the standouts with real NBA potential from this iteration of NBA Academy Africa.
Khaman Maluach — 7’2” C, 238 lbs, 17 years old
Khaman Maluach is the NBA Academy’s most sought-after prospect. The projected lottery talent has a long list of suitors for next year including NCAA blue bloods, G-League Ignite and NBL Next Stars. Also on the table is staying at the academy one more season to get drafted directly from there.
