We’ve gotten a small taste of big man Khaman Maluach so far. He’s obviously sharp and charismatic in a low-key way and his talent is already obvious.
But he’s making major changes. Obviously he’s moving from Africa to Durham, which is an enormous change by itself, and he’s also moving up a level - well, several levels really - in basketball.
Duke offers him so many different things - world-class academics, superb training facilities, superb coaching - the list goes on.
The question now is how well he adapts. Jon Scheyer thinks he’s ready. Here’s what he said to the Field of 68 Podcast:
”It’s going to be somewhat of a process adjusting to the college game. I think being a big guy in college is the hardest transition of anything, even harder than a point guard in my opinion.
”But he’s got an incredible motor. His personality is contagious, he’s talking all the time and he’s got a great skill set. He’s just learning how to use it.”
Watch how Maluach grows this season. It’ll be a good barometer for his future and it will also tell you a lot about the coaching he’s getting.