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 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.
Maluach runs the floor, shows off stretch and hub potential at G League Winter Showcase
A long South Sudanese big man who is mobile and skilled enough to fit right into today’s positionless NBA, Maluach’s improvement has been remarkable as he only started playing basketball seriously in 2020. After participating in the BAL Elevate program last year, Maluach burst onto the global scene when he became the third youngest player to play in the World Cup. He’s on pace to continue his progression on South Sudan’s national team and become one of the youngest players in the Paris 2024 Olympics.
Physically, Maluach has the tools NBA teams scour the globe for. He has great height, runs the floor hard, is very fluid and saying he has a positive wingspan is an understatement. His frame still has a ton of room for him to fill it out and strength is admittedly an area he needs to keep working at. This is evident when Maluach faces opponents that outweigh him as they push him off his spot. He’s never truly been overmatched though, as he gains advantages with his quickness, shooting touch and basketball IQ.
Bigger opponents occasionally bullied Maluach at G League Winter Showcase
Maluach has recently been developing playmaking skills, which can also be a plus if sustained. As a main hub, NBA Academy Africa’s modern offense often runs through the cerebral Maluach, who can be seen pushing the ball up the court after rebounds and whipping cross-court passes out of the post. Throughout the team’s events this season, Maluach has been a model of consistency. Games of 20+ points, 10+ rebounds and 2+ blocks are commonplace for him at this point. He plays hard on both sides of the ball, protecting the rim with intimidating rejections on one end and punishing it with thunderous dunks on the other. He has good switchability and deters shots at the rim with his presence alone. Maluach won’t be the generational talent Victor Wembanyama is, but he still projects to be an impactful professional player longterm who the right team can build around — his versatility and production are that valuable.
Perhaps above all else, the differentiator between him and other players of his size is his mental fortitude. He truly believes he can do anything, as coaches rave about his ability to see a skill demonstrated once and have it mastered within a short period of time.
“What Maluach has is “a gift,” an extremely rare ability to see something, replicate it and excel at it very quickly.” — Franck Traore, head of basketball operations for NBA Africa.
This is what’s behind his astronomical improvement. What’s more, he has a transcendent view of himself and the basketball landscape on his home continent; Maluach’s potential impact is far from lost on him.
Maluach dominates all opposition at Road to BAL
Ulrich Chomche — 6’11” F/C, 238 lbs, 18 years old
Ulrich Chomche is a versatile Cameroonian big man who has been in the peripheries of NBA Draft discussions for what seems like an eternity. Though it seems he may be leaning toward the college route, Chomche is eligible for the coming draft and could have a real shot at the first round thanks to demonstrated improvement and a subpar draft class. He has been a part of NBA Academy Africa for years and has senior national team experience along with multiple stints in the BAL Elevate program. Few African prospects his age can say they’ve had such rich experiences before the age of 18.
Chomche hangs his hat on the defensive end. High-caliber measurables like his +6 wingspan, gargantuan athleticism and quick feet make for a coveted prospect that can be plugged into just about any defensive scheme as he can effortlessly switch onto guards and execute multiple coverages. Regardless of the coverage, one thing Chomche is going to give you is blocks, any way you want them. Weak side swats? Of course. Chase downs? You bet. Verticality? Absolutely. Chomche’s athleticism and mobility push him to reach games of over five blocks and they’ll come in all different forms. It’s been said that he has potential to be one of the best Cameroonian players yet which is extremely high praise given his company.
Chomche knocks down shots, pushes the tempo and protects the paint at Road to BAL
Chomche’s defense is nothing short of dominant, but what also has scouts ready to draft him now is the recent addition of a dependable long-range jump shot, unexpected feel for the game and passing potential out of the mid or low post. During the FIBA Olympic Pre-Qualifying Tournament, Chomche’s minutes were limited but he averaged 6.75 assists per 36 minutes for Cameroon’s senior national team. Chomche also looks to push immediately after rebounds — except he looks to do it with the pass, firing touchdown passes the length of the floor or hitting ball handlers in stride to jumpstart the break. The offensive improvement is so new that he’s still learning how to consistently apply the motor that keeps him going defensively on the other side of the ball too. He has a tendency to start games strong offensively and disappear or defer to others as the game goes on. That can change with more reps and there’s no reason to believe that it won’t. Overall, Chomche projects as an X-factor who can anchor a defense and be a high-level connector offensively on a winning team.
Since Chomche was identified at the academy so early, he had no choice but to grow into a leader. Even if it’s not always vocally, his teammates follow his defensive example and trust that he’s always lurking on the backside to clean up any defensive lapses. His game is much more mature than many his age and his calming presence should keep him around the NBA for a long time.
Chomche blocks everything, puts pressure on the rim at G League Winter Showcase
The torch of African basketball is clearly being passed, and these prodigies are more than equipped to hold onto it for a while. The NBA is ready for them and these bigs continue to show that the feeling is mutual. Individual success aside, the current crop of African NBA hopefuls seems as focused on raising their draft stock as on elevating the continent’s image. These players are some of the first to truly be molded by the NBA Academy all the way through, having spent their formative years living and learning side by side. Similarly, they’ve collectively honed an assertive pioneering confidence that pushes them unwaveringly toward their dreams.
“[Achieving my dream is] more for my family, for my country and for my continent. I want to put my continent on the map. I want to change the image of what they see on my continent, what they say we can do. I want to change all that for the next generation.” — Khaman Maluach
Africa is not next it's now, great article.