Drafted tenth overall by the NBA's Phoenix Suns, 18-year-old center Khaman Maluach represents South Sudan's growing ambition to become a rising force in international basketball.

On the evening of June 26, 2025, Khaman Maluach’s name resonated through Brooklyn’s Barclays Center. The 18-year-old center was selected tenth overall in the NBA Draft, the annual event where the league’s franchises choose the world's most promising young basketball talents.

"Living in Africa, I had the whole continent on my back. Giving hope to young kids."

South Sudan native Khaman Maluach was in tears as he was drafted 10th overall ? pic.twitter.com/osskwuHYHf

— ESPN (@espn) June 26, 2025

This pick made Maluach the first player ever drafted from both the NBA Academy Africa and the Basketball Africa League, or BAL. More significantly, his selection symbolized the growing influence of South Sudanese basketball. It reflected a collective ambition of a nation working to rebuild through sport.

Khaman Maluach, Luol Deng, Basketball, and Homeland

Born in Juba during post-independence unrest, Maluach grew up in a Ugandan refugee camp. At age 12, scouts discovered him and brought him to the NBA Academy in Saly, Senegal. He had his breakthrough at the 2023 Basketball Without Borders camp, where he earned Most Valuable Player (MVP) honors. In 2024, at just 17, he became the youngest player to represent South Sudan at the Olympic Games in Paris.

Khaman Maluach

Maluach’s journey illustrates a story of a boy rescued from the harsh realities of conflict through sport. He embodies the hopes of young people in the world’s youngest country, where basketball is increasingly seen as a tool to reshape the national narrative. This dream was sparked for many South Sudanese by South Sudanese-born British former professional basketball player Luol Deng. Born in Wau in 1985, Deng fled civil war with his family and rose to NBA stardom with the Chicago Bulls, Miami Heat, and Los Angeles Lakers, earning two All-Star selections along the way.

Luol Deng

However, it was Deng's return to his roots that truly ignited South Sudan’s basketball renaissance. In 2020, he became president of the South Sudan Basketball Federation, or SSBF. He has often stated that this effort transcends mere sport, viewing it as a national project aimed at showcasing South Sudan's potential to succeed, shine, and unite.

Under Deng’s leadership, the federation underwent restructuring, mobilized the diaspora, and established training systems. He funded camps, forged diplomatic ties, and convinced dual-nationality players like Carlik Jones, Marial Shayok, and Wenyen Gabriel to play for South Sudan. Simultaneously, his foundation began work in refugee camps in Kenya and Ethiopia, promoting basketball as a tool for education, peace, and empowerment. The impact was swift.

A Team That Transcends Sport

On September 9, 2023, South Sudan defeated African basketball powerhouse Angola 101-78 at the FIBA World Cup in Manila. This victory crowned them the best African team of the tournament and, against all odds, earned them a ticket to the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, a monumental achievement.

At the time, the team had no indoor court in its home country. Training sessions took place in Nairobi, Kenya, sometimes in Kampala, Uganda, or in makeshift facilities. Yet, the Bright Stars, as the national team is known, showed remarkable cohesion, relentless drive, and unshakable confidence. After the win, player Peter Jok notably remarked on the team's dedication, stating they gave everything to be here despite their country having "almost nothing."

On July 20, 2024, South Sudan came within three seconds of defeating Team USA, widely regarded as the world’s strongest team. The final score was 101-100 in favor of the Americans, with a late defensive effort from LeBron James’ squad and a missed buzzer-beater sealing South Sudan’s narrow loss.

That Olympic warm-up game confirmed what African basketball insiders had been saying for years: South Sudan is a rising powerhouse in the sport.

Paris 2024: In the Spotlight

July 2024 marked South Sudan’s debut at the Olympic Games, competing in the men’s basketball tournament. The team opened with a 90-79 victory over Puerto Rico. They then fell 103-86 to the United States and 96-85 to Serbia, exiting in the group stage. Still, the international basketball press unanimously praised their performance, and the world took notice.

South Sudan made a successful debut at the 2024 Olympics, beating Puerto Rico

In the stands of Lille’s Pierre-Mauroy Stadium, hundreds of South Sudanese fans, waving handmade flags, wept after the final match. This was not tears of sadness, but of pride. Though the Bright Stars left Paris without a medal, their journey left a lasting impression. They returned to Juba to a jubilant crowd, with the government declaring a “National Unity Day.” For a moment, politics gave way to sports, to the delight of the people.

Basketball as a Nation’s Glue

Since gaining independence in 2011, South Sudan has endured two major civil wars, famine, coups, and persistent political instability. Reports indicate that more than two million refugees remain abroad. Against this backdrop, basketball has emerged as a rare unifying, apolitical force.

In 2022, the federation launched a ten-year plan to establish a national league with six regional franchises and a youth championship. With support from the NBA-backed Basketball Africa League, the first indoor arena in Juba is planned for construction in 2026, with help from the African Development Bank.

The Bright Stars enjoy widespread popular support. In December 2023, the government rolled out “Basketball for Peace,” an initiative with non-governmental organizations and FIBA to host interethnic tournaments, train young coaches, and build basic courts in northern states. Players have become peace ambassadors.

Carlik Jones, recognized as Africa’s MVP at the 2023 World Cup, actively leads clinics in Bentiu displacement camps. Maluach is noted for funding solar panels for courts in his former camps, while Deng delivers leadership lectures in Juba and Rumbek. According to Wenyen Gabriel, a ball won’t solve everything, but it gives kids a reason to dream.

While peace remains fragile, with some reports of clashes reigniting as recently as April, the basketball federation presses on. Much of the staff operates from Nairobi. Players are recruited from the diaspora in the U.S., Canada, and Australia. Logistics and medical services are outsourced abroad.

These efforts are beginning to bear fruit. Maluach is only the first of a generation trained across East Africa, Europe, the U.S., and Senegal. Names like Garang Kuany and Kouat Noi are already on scouts’ radars. All are dual nationals. All are inspired by Luol Deng’s path. All want to write the next chapter of South Sudanese basketball.

Their goal is clear: to make South Sudan a lasting name in global basketball, beyond the fleeting magic of the Olympics. They aim to build a sports culture grounded in youth, discipline, and solidarity.

While the country’s broader struggles persist, it seems to have found a unifying thread and a new dream for its youth: the basketball court. The nation is now looking to basketball and its ambassadors to ward off the demons of war.

Servan Ahougnon