NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JUNE 24: Khaman Maluach of South Sudan speaks during a Media Availability ... More session prior to the 2025 NBA Draft at Lotte New York Palace on June 24, 2025 in New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images) Getty Images In recent years, the NBA has quietly reversed course on one of its most enduring trends. After more than a decade of small-ball dominance, driven by pace, space, and undersized versatility, the game and especially the postseason is once again rewarding size, not just in height, but in impact. Teams like the freshly minted NBA Champions, The Oklahoma City Thunder, Cleveland Cavaliers, and New York Knicks are proving that two-big lineups can still thrive, especially when those bigs are more than just rim-runners. Size with skill is back in fashion, and the 2025 NBA Draft may deliver its next great example in Khaman Maluach, an 18-year-old South Sudanese whose journey, talent, and upside make him one of the most intriguing lottery centers in recent memory. Why Teams Are Prioritising Size Again The NBA's most consistent and successful teams are not just surviving with size, they're building around it. Oklahoma City's pairing of Chet Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein has added interior muscle and defensive flexibility. Cleveland's Evan Mobley not only anchors a top-tier defense with Jarrett Allen but also initiates offense from the high post. And in Miami, Bam Adebayo continues to thrive as a hybrid big who can score, pass, and switch. This shift has been fuelled by a new generation of bigs who are mobile, intelligent, and unselfish. They aren't traditional back-to-the-basket centers; they're hybrid engines, capable of defending in space, setting intelligent screens, and making decisions under pressure. It's a premium skill set, and it's exactly where Khaman Maluach fits in. DURHAM, NORTH CAROLINA - JANUARY 11: Khaman Maluach #9 of the Duke Blue Devils dunks the ball during ... More the first half of the game against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish at Cameron Indoor Stadium on January 11, 2025 in Durham, North Carolina. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images) Getty Images MORE FOR YOU Maluach's Value, Today and Tomorrow At 7-foot-2 with a 7-foot-6 wingspan and a sturdy 253-pound frame, Maluach certainly checks the size box. But it's his efficiency, awareness, and readiness that makes him stand out in this draft class. As a freshman at Duke, he averaged 8.6 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks per game on a blistering 71.2% shooting from the field. He ranked among the top six in the NCAA in both offensive rebound rate (16.5%) and two-point field goal percentage (75.4%). While other young bigs flash upside, Maluach offers plug-and-play reliability. He doesn’t need the ball to impact the game. He protects the rim, runs the floor, finishes in traffic, and plays with composure well beyond his years. In a league that increasingly values smart, low-maintenance role players to complement stars, his profile is as scalable as it is unique. Projected to go in the top 10, Maluach makes particular sense for teams like Toronto, Portland, or Memphis, organisations seeking size, defensive upside, and long-term cultural stability. Built by Experience: The Academy Pipeline, BAL, and Duke KIGALI, RWANDA - MAY 24: Khaman Maluach #4 AS Douanes celebrates the game against the Petro de ... More Luanda on May 24, 2023 at BK Arena in Kigali, Rwanda. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2023 NBAE (Photo by Armand Lenoir/NBAE via Getty Images) NBAE via Getty Images What sets Maluach apart from other top prospects is his professional experience. Before stepping onto Duke’s campus, he played in the Basketball Africa League, not just once, but with three different teams. He started in the BAL Final for AS Douanes at age 16. He dominated with City Oilers in 2024, averaging 13.5 rebounds and nearly three blocks per game. These weren’t exhibition games; they were high-stakes, high-contact contests that sharpened his instincts and mental toughness. That experience, paired with the structure of the NBA Academy Africa, gave Maluach a foundation most prospects simply don't have. The Academy didn't just refine his skill set, it shaped his identity. Its focus on education, leadership, and professionalism turned raw potential into polished purpose. Maluach’s trajectory, from refugee beginnings in Uganda to The NBA Africa Academy, to playing in the 2024 Paris Olympics with South Sudan, to Duke and now The NBA green room in New York is a validation of a global system designed to democratise access to elite development. He is, quite literally, the face of the NBA's international pipeline at work. An Investment in the Future of Basketball From a franchise-building perspective, Khaman Maluach is more than a draft pick, he's an investment in longevity, adaptability, and identity. He offers the defensive floor of a rotational big with the ceiling of a system-defining anchor. And with the modern game favouring bigs who can process, protect, and adapt, Maluach's profile aligns with where the league is headed, not where it's been. He’s also just 18 years old. Teams won't be drafting Maluach for what he is today, though that's already impressive, they'll be drafting him for what he'll become when he's 22, with 200 NBA games under his belt and a body shaped by professional strength programs. The return on that investment could be massive. CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - MAY 13: Khaman Maluach #14 takes part in a the Pro Lane Drill during the 2025 ... More NBA Draft Combine at Wintrust Arena on May 13, 2025 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images) Getty Images A Global Talent, A Local Fit In today’s NBA, the path to a championship is more open than ever. Over the past eight seasons, eight different teams have claimed the title, redefining what a "contender" looks like. Parity is now a feature, not a bug, and that means front offices are placing greater value on upside, development, and sustainability. For any team picking in the lottery, Khaman Maluach represents exactly that. At 18, he already offers elite rebounding, rim protection, and finishing. But the real return lies a few years down the line. With time to develop physically and refine his skill set, Maluach could become a centrepiece in any franchise’s long-term strategy. There's precedent for that bet, and his name is Pascal Siakam. NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MAY 19: Pascal Siakam #43 of the Indiana Pacers celebrates after making a shot ... More in the fourth quarter against the New York Knicks in Game Seven of the Eastern Conference Second Round Playoffs at Madison Square Garden on May 19, 2024 in New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images) Getty Images Also, a product of the NBA’s African development system, Siakam came through the Basketball Without Borders program. He went from a raw but athletic prospect out of Cameroon to an NBA champion with the Toronto Raptors in 2019. This season, Siakam was named an All-Star, 2025 Eastern Conference Finals MVP, helping lead the Indiana Pacers to the NBA Finals. His growth is a blueprint, and his story is proof: when teams invest in African talent, the upside is not just theoretical, it's championship-tested. Just ask Toronto. There's no better case study than the Oklahoma City Thunder either, where patience and smart development transformed a rebuild into a Finals-caliber core. With the right infrastructure, Maluach can follow a similar trajectory, offering immediate tools and long-term potential in equal measure. In an NBA era where windows open faster and wider than ever, players like Maluach aren't just valuable, they're essential. Editorial StandardsReprints & Permissions