5-star C Khaman Maluach schedules official visit to Kentucky, per report
Khaman Maluach is a projected top-five pick in the 2025 NBA Draft. He’ll take an official visit to Kentucky next week.
Travis Branham of 247Sports broke the news on Monday that Maluach will be in Lexington from February 12-13, one of four official visits the 7-foot-2 center has scheduled throughout the rest of the month. According to Branham, Maluach will also take official visits to Kansas (Feb. 9-10), the NBA’s G League Ignite (Feb. 21-22), and UCLA (Feb. 23-24).
A decision is expected by the end of February. He made his first official visit two weeks ago to Duke.
Maluach was previously a member of the 2025 recruiting class but recently reclassified to 2024. The native of South Sudan has been developing his game at the NBA Academy Africa — the same program where Kentucky sophomore Ugonna Onyenso got his start. Maluach is considered the No. 9 overall prospect in the ’24 class by On3.
Back in December, members of the Kentucky coaching staff paid a visit to Maluach at the G League Winter Showcase in Orlando, Florida. He’s been part of NBA Academy Africa in Senegal since 2021, even suiting up for South Sudan — alongside former Wildcat Wenyen Gabriel — in the FIBA World Cup over the summer. Maluach was the third-youngest-ever participant in the event.
The 235-pound big man, who boasts a 7-foot-6 wingspan, was also named the MVP of the Basketball Without Borders event (a basketball camp organized by the NBA and FIBA) in August.
After adding (and finally getting cleared) 7-foot-2 Croatian center Zvoniomir Ivisic to the current roster, Kentucky intends to continue its international recruiting efforts moving forward. Maluach is high on the list of available targets.
“What we learned is that there is talent outside the States. We want to get the best players in the world,” UK assistant coach Chuck Martin said last week. “We’ve got some really, really great players here in the States, in America, but if there are one or two particular players outside the States who can fit who we are as a program and fit Coach Cal’s philosophy, who is really, really good, let’s pursue ’em.”
The final day of Maluach’s visit to Kentucky coincides with the Wildcats’ home game against Ole Miss on Tuesday, Feb. 13. Tipoff is set for 9:00 p.m. EST at Rupp Arena on ESPN. Expect Maluach to be in attendance behind the UK bench.
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