As we predicted after this summer’s NBA Draft, everyone around the Phoenix Suns was going to love Khaman Maluach. [And that seems to be happening,](https://valleyofthesuns.com/phoenix-suns-khaman-maluach-nba-draft-guru-quiet-part-out-loud-raw-prospect-develop-devin-booker) if this article is anything to judge by.
Here’s the money quote from Sam Vencenie: _“_Khaman Maluach this year is like a really good example. Khaman Maluach does some things on the court that kind of drive you crazy. And you can just see from the way that he rebounds the basketball, his natural feel isn’t quite there yet. But Khaman Maluach is a kid that is an awesome human being, and anybody that you talk to says, very intelligent, understands where—very self-aware, understands his shortcomings, and will work at it. But is he going to be able to make up that gap in terms of that deficiency? I don’t know. It’s on him to figure that out.”
Maluach didn’t grow up in the US of course, and he came to the game late, at 13. But as Vencenie says here, he’s smart, immensely likable, and a hard worker.
Our guess is that, given his dramatic growth at Duke, he’ll come on fast with Phoenix. And dueling with fellow Brotherhood member Mark Williams every day will help, too.
As excited as we are for all of Duke’s draft picks, Maluach is special. And like the Phoenix franchise, their fans and city, we hope he crushes it with the Suns.
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