As the 2025 NBA Draft’s first round wound down at Barclays Center, an electric buzz swept through Suns fans when Phoenix’s brass locked in one of the most intriguing picks of the night: Duke’s 7-foot-2 prodigy Khaman Maluach.
The South Sudanese phenom, lauded for his fluid rim-runs and defensive instincts, instantly gave the Valley a tantalizing glimpse of the future in the paint.
Yet, insiders were abuzz that the real story had been brewing long before draft night. John Gambadoro (aka “Gambo”) revealed that it was a direct request from Devin Booker himself to bolster Phoenix’s frontcourt.
Devin Booker’s Plea for Size Drives Suns to Secure Mark Williams and No. 10 Pick Khaman Maluach
Gambo revealed that franchise cornerstone and four-time NBA All-Star Booker had directly urged Phoenix’s front office to prioritize size around him. His request stemmed from the necessity to counter last season’s paint deficiencies and unlock Booker’s full playmaking arsenal.
The news was reported by Forbes’ NBA reporter Evan Sidery on X/Twitter. Gambo reportedly broke the news first on the latest episode “Hour 3: The Suns Did What?!” from the “Burns & Gambo Show” podcast.
Devin Booker expressed to the Suns’ front office a desire to acquire a lob threat big man, per @Gambo987 (https://t.co/EGLQ4uphNN).
Phoenix certainly obliged with Mark Williams and Khaman Maluach. pic.twitter.com/sRWNikKVBa
— Evan Sidery (@esidery) June 27, 2025
On draft night, the Suns sent their No. 29 pick and a 2029 first-rounder to the Charlotte Hornets in exchange for 7-foot star Mark Williams, as first reported by ESPN’s Shams Charania.
This was also reported by Gambo on his X handle. He even predicted the Suns would go after Maluach, in case the South Sudanese center was available at No. 10 on draft night.
I expect the Suns with the 10th pick will take Duke big man Khaman Maluach.
— John Gambadoro (@Gambo987) June 26, 2025
As Gambo predicted, with the No. 10 pick (via Houston), the Suns selected Maluach. For the Blue Devils, he averaged 8.6 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks during his 2024-25 tenure at Duke. Moreover, he is an active member of the South Sudan national team.
On June 23, Gambo posted a tweet on his official X handle: “Expect the Suns to prioritize Power Forward and Center in upcoming draft and free agency period. They really need a 4 and can use either a starting 5 or backup 5.” A few days later, his prediction came true when Booker’s request started circulating around the basketball community.
The 18-year-old Maluach may be new to structured basketball (he started playing at 16), but has grown incredibly fast. Defensively, he uses his long wingspan to recover and block shots. On offense, he still has room to improve, but his mechanics suggest he could become a reliable piece for Phoenix down the road.
On Wednesday, after being picked 10th in the 2025 NBA Draft (then traded to the Phoenix Suns), the selection made Maluach the highest-ever draft pick from NBA Academy Africa and the Basketball Africa League.
Before him, Academy graduates (not particularly from the Africa branch) like Josh Giddey, Bennedict Mathurin, Dyson Daniels, and Olivier-Maxence Prosper were drafted in the NBA Draft First Round.
Meanwhile, Booker’s bold roster request has not only reshaped Phoenix’s roster but also set a tone of player-driven strategy by bringing home Williams and Maluach.
