2025 Draft Ranks: Centers, Tier 1
The Basketball Notebook is back for the 2025 NBA draft. Over the course of the next month, I’ll be releasing tiered rankings by position, culminating in a final overall big board in mid to late June.
Links to Previously Released Rankings:
On-Ball Guard (Tier 1) / On-Ball Guard (Tier 2) / On-Ball Guard (Tier 3) / On-Ball Guard (Tier 4)
Wing Guard (Tier 1) / Wing Guard (Tier 2) / Wing Guard (Tier 3) / Wing Guard (Tier 4)
Wing Forward (Tier 1/1.5) / Wing Forward (Tier 2) / Wing Forward (Tier 3) / Wing Forward (Tier 4)
Big (Tier 1) / Big (Tier 2) / Big (Tier 3)
Click here for a few important reminders about how I structure my rankings and write-ups.
TIER 1:
Khaman Maluach / Duke
Height/Wingspan: 7’2” / 7’7”
Rookie Season Age: 19
Player Type: Pick-and-Roll Finisher / Drop Coverage Rim Protector
Game Reminds Me Of: Mitchell Robinson / Mark Williams / Walker Kessler
Maluach has only been playing organized basketball since 2019, but he’s put together an impressive resume. After earning a spot on South Sudan’s Olympic roster last summer, he was a key starter for Duke during their run to an ACC title and a Final Four appearance. Even as he’s still developing and learning how to play the game, Maluach is an impactful presence on both ends.
In a complementary offensive role (16.1% usage), Maluach was one of the most efficient players in the country (74.6% true shooting). If he gets the ball near the basket, he’s nearly unstoppable: Maluach averaged 1.55 points per shot attempt at the rim, 98th percentile efficiency among all Division I players. For a young center, Maluach is an active screener and has excellent timing as a roll man. He averaged 1.76 points per possession out of pick-and-roll (99th percentile efficiency) and 1.49 points per possession as a cutter (88th percentile efficiency). Maluach isn’t an explosive leaper (30” vertical) and his feet are a little heavy. However, he’s such a large human (9’6” standing reach) that he’s still a very effective lob catcher. Maluach also runs the floor hard in transition, although he needs to be better conditioned overall. Duke utilized him in short stints and held down his minutes overall (21.2 minutes per game).
With the Blue Devils, Maluach had just eight shooting possessions out of post-ups. Although there’s plenty of time for him to develop his skill level, I don’t foresee isolating from the block being a huge part of Maluach’s game in the NBA. He can’t put the ball on the floor at all, which limits his ability to work with his back to the basket. The lack of ball handling also shows up on the perimeter, where he has difficulty initiating dribble hand-offs and didn’t show much as a passer from the top of the key (7.1% assist rate, 11.6% turnover rate). Maluach is a fluid finisher, so I don’t think he’ll have trouble punishing switches with deep seals in the paint. However, he has a long way to go before he can be relied upon to generate offense for himself.
Maluach attempted 16 threes at Duke, most of which came in garbage time or low-stakes situations. He’s not going to provide any floor spacing as a rookie, but there is reason to think that Maluach may be a low-volume three-point shooter at some point in his career. He has a high release and decent shot mechanics, and he appears confident when stepping into his jumper. Maluach also made 76.6% of his free throws, impressive for a player his size. I worry that even if Maluach eventually commands respect from the perimeter, he’s too limited as a ball handler to attack closeouts. I wouldn’t count on him being a major asset from beyond the arc, but it’s possible that he develops into an occasional pick-and-pop threat.
Because of his physical characteristics, Maluach has obvious upside as a high-level rim protector. He plays hard on the defensive end, with active hands and feet in drop coverage against ball screens. He’s not an amazing lateral mover, but he’s pretty quick to get off the floor as a leaper. Maluach can be beaten with quickness in isolation, but his long arms give him a lot of runway to recover against drivers. He also has some ability to get out on the floor and pressure the ball in pick-and-roll coverage, even if his primary utility will be as a rim protector. Maluach has good instincts as a secondary shot blocker, but he can get caught too far under the basket when he’s the primary help defender. He needs to learn how to meet drives earlier to fully unlock his potential as a defensive anchor. That being said, Maluach is unquestionably impactful when he is in position. He’s difficult to finish over the top of, even for bigger wings and post players.
With his physical characteristics and gravity as a pick-and-roll finisher, Maluach is a high-floor prospect. Even if his game sees only incremental improvement, it’s hard to envision him not being effective as a lob catcher and shot blocker. However, I’m not confident enough in Maluach’s mobility or instincts as a help defender to say he’s going to annually drive elite defense. With his limitations on offense, that’s the level he has to reach to become a star.
Projected NBA Role: Priority Starter
NBA Upside: Fringe All-Star