Khaman Maluach had a touching reaction after being chosen with the 10th overall pick in the NBA Draft on Wednesday night.
The Phoenix Suns selected Maluach with the pick they acquired when they traded Kevin Durant to the Houston Rockets on Sunday. After NBA commissioner Adam Silver called Maluach’s name, the 18-year-old immediately began crying.
Maluach wiped tears from his face as he made his way to the stage at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y.
Maluach was still choked up during an interview with ESPN’s Monica McNutt.
“I’m here representing the whole continent,” Maluach said. “Living in Africa, I had the whole continent on my back, giving hope to young kids, inspiring young kids and the next generation of African basketball.”
Maluach started playing basketball at age 13 after someone who drove by him in his native South Sudan noticed how tall he was and suggested he should play. He attended Luol Deng’s camp and then NBA Academy Africa before playing at Duke last season.
Maluach is now the highest-drafted former NBA Academy Africa player ever.
The 7-foot-2 Maluach averaged 8.6 points and 6.6 rebounds per game in his lone season at Duke.
