Phoenix Suns centre Khaman Maluach delivered a strong double-double in his first preseason start, scoring 10 points on 4-of-9 shooting and pulling down 15 rebounds while adding 3 assists. The performance came against the San Antonio Spurs and the spotlight opponent, Victor Wembanyama, who finished with 13 points, 7 rebounds and 6 assists in 22 minutes, going 0-of-5 from beyond the arc.
Suns coach Jordan Ott said it was "globally his best performance" since the South Sudanese centre entered the league. Forward Dillon Brooks praised his interior defence: "He held the paint, grabbed some rebounds, caught difficult passes and finished with two hands. I think he played well and protected our circle very well."
Drafted 10th overall in 2025, Maluach admitted the duel taught him plenty. "Against players like him, I try to learn as much as possible, whether defending them, observing their offensive game or their attitude. I notice those small details. So I learned a lot on the court," the 20-year-old said. After a rookie season limited to 46 appearances and under ten minutes per game, Maluach is now in competition with Oso Ighodaro for the starting centre role and appears ready for a larger workload against the league's top big men.
