Meet the 7ft 2in teenage Olympian set for the NBA

When you are 7ft 2in tall it is pretty tough to keep a low profile but for Khaman Maluach it is likely to get even harder over the next 12 months.

The 17-year-old basketball phenomenon, who is competing for South Sudan at the Olympics, is expected to be one of the hottest properties in next year’s National Basketball Association (NBA) Draft, with a host of teams already said to be clamouring for his signature.

Maluach continues to show rapid growth in his game, but there is a lot more to the teenager’s remarkable story than his abilities on the court.

“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.

“The orange ball has taken me so far.”

Born in 2006, his family fled to neighbouring Uganda to escape the long-running conflict which eventually led to South Sudan gaining independence from Sudan in 2011.

Maluach was raised in Kawempe, a town on the outskirts of the Ugandan capital Kampala which is home to many disadvantaged communities.

He spent most of his time with his mother, six siblings and relatives from his mother’s side since his father was mainly in South Sudan.

He was first encouraged to play basketball after a chance encounter on the side of the road while walking back from school.

“A guy was on a bike and he suddenly stopped in front of me,” Maluach recalled.

“He told me ‘’You should start playing basketball. I can get you shoes, I can get you the ball’ if I started playing right away.”

Big shoes to fill
Maluach’s closest public basketball court was a one-hour walk from his home, and it was often packed.

Yet the distance was not the only thing threatening his daily games. Scarcity of basketballs and a lack of shoes was a big concern – with Maluach already a size 14 by the age of 13.

He was forced to play his first game in a pair of Crocs, but made an immediate impression on local coaches Wal Deng and Aketch Garang.

“The first time I saw Khaman, I saw so much potential,” Deng told BBC Sport Africa.

“I knew he was going to develop and become a better player. He learned so quick. I told Aketch that this kid will be the next big thing.”

In 2021, just a year after he started playing basketball, Maluach was invited for a try-out by the NBA Academy Africa.

Maluach had taught himself several moves by watching YouTube videos, learning from two-time NBA MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo and 2023 MVP Joel Embiid.

The fact that these two superstars have their roots in Africa inspired the centre to work even harder.

“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.

“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.”