The war refugee who wants to be an NBA star

BarcelonaWhen he heard his name called at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, Khaman Maluach couldn't contain his emotions. The tears conceal a painful story of overcoming challenges. The new Phoenix Suns player is only 18 years old, but he's lived a life worthy of a film.

Maluach was born in Rumbek (South Sudan), but he barely remembers his homeland because he had to flee the war as a child. International organizations estimate the number of displaced people at 13 million and the number of children used for war at nearly 20,000. Unscrupulous. His mother took him and his siblings to a refugee camp in Kawempe, Uganda.

When he was 13, a motorcycle-riding coach saw him walking down the street and encouraged him to try basketball. He gave him a ball. A Manchester United fan, he preferred soccer, but he took a chance and took seriously a suggestion that changed his life. The nearest public court was 45 minutes away and was always full. The only free time was at 2 p.m., when the sun discouraged even the most daring. He took advantage of this lull to practice basketball alone, imitating moves he saw on YouTube by stars like Giannis Antetokounmpo, Joel Embiid, Anthony Davis, and Kevin Durant. The court was red clay.

His progress was astonishing. The support of Luol Deng, a former Chicago Bulls player who became president of the South Sudanese Football Federation, was key. His recommendation helped him earn a spot at the NBA Academy Africa in Saly, Senegal. When he received the news, he cried for three days. The work, which included six hours of classes and four hours of training, was hard, but it paid off.

"I want to change the narrative"

The 2023 World Cup, the 2024 Olympics – where he had 7 points and 3 rebounds against the United States – and his successful time at Duke put Maluach on the radar of various NBA teams. "Living in Africa, I had the entire continent behind me and offered hope to young kids, inspiring the next generation of African basketball. Now I want to change the narrative of how people see Africa," he said after the game. draft NBA Thanks to the development he showed at Duke University, the Houston Rockets selected him in tenth place.

"I dreamed of playing in the Premier League, but I discovered my potential as a basketball player and my preferences changed. A new dream was born, and now I'm here," acknowledged the player, who left nothing to chance. His jersey featured the flags of South Sudan and Uganda stitched onto the inner lining, a tribute to his two countries of origin. "I'm here representing the entire African continent," said Maluach. Phoenix Suns general manager Brian Gregory didn't hide his excitement over the acquisition of the center and praised his defensive potential.

Donald Trump's policies jeopardize their position. The president announced he would revoke all visas for South Sudanese citizens due to the country's refusal to accept deportees from the United States. Furthermore, according to Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the US will also block entry to the country for any citizen from South Sudan, the youngest country in the world.

Thanks to having gone through it draftMaluach will be guaranteed a place to remain in the United States, but will need special permission each time he wants to leave the country. He will also be unable to receive visits from his family. The player hasn't visited his home country in two years.