“Khaman Maluach Just Put the NBA on Alert—This Full Game vs. Minnesota Might Be the Birth of a Superstar”

The Las Vegas Summer League is usually a stage for flashes of potential, sloppy possessions, and social media overreactions.

But sometimes, it becomes something else entirely—a preview of a storm brewing.

On July 16, 2025, that storm took the form of a 7’2″ teenager from South Sudan named Khaman Maluach.

In a game that started like any other summer scrimmage, Maluach shattered all expectations with a performance that sent scouts scrambling, fans roaring, and coaches reconsidering everything they thought they knew about the Suns’ roster heading into the season.

The Phoenix Suns took a calculated swing when they drafted Maluach.

His combination of size, agility, and basketball IQ made him an intriguing project, not necessarily someone expected to contribute immediately.

But there was nothing “project” about what the world saw against the Minnesota Timberwolves.

This wasn’t raw potential.

This was presence.

Control.

Domination.

From the opening tip, Maluach moved like no one his size should be able to.

He floated between the paint and the perimeter, instinctively reading passing lanes and altering shots without even jumping.

Within the first six minutes, he had already tallied two blocks, a putback dunk, and a behind-the-back assist that left the Minnesota bench shaking their heads in disbelief.

The crowd started murmuring.

By the end of the first quarter, they were chanting his name.

Summer League highlights can deceive.

But Maluach’s brilliance wasn’t about flashy dunks or viral crossovers.

It was the subtleties that told the story.

His footwork on defense was nearly flawless, constantly forcing Timberwolves bigs into awkward fadeaways and rushed decisions.

On offense, he didn’t demand the ball—he flowed into the game.

When a teammate drove, he slid perfectly into position.

When a shooter drew attention, he ducked under the rim for the easy putback.

He was always two steps ahead.

And then there were the blocks.

Not the typical rookie swats where a player jumps late and just happens to get a hand on the ball.

Maluach’s blocks were surgical.

He timed drives like a chess master predicting the next five moves.

When Timberwolves rookie Jaylen Clark tried to challenge him at the rim, the result wasn’t just a block—it was a message.

One that said, “You’re not ready for this. ”

By halftime, Maluach had racked up 12 points, 8 rebounds, and 4 blocks.

But his true impact couldn’t be captured by box score numbers alone.

He tilted the floor.

Minnesota’s guards were visibly hesitant to drive into the lane.

Their offense stalled as they settled for mid-range jumpers and rushed threes.

The Suns, energized by his presence, played freer, faster, and with more confidence than they had all week.

Commentators started scrambling for comparisons.

Was he the next Rudy Gobert with better hands? A young Serge Ibaka with more fluidity? Or something entirely new? What was clear was that Maluach was no longer an unknown.

He was a problem.

A Tower of Terror that disrupted everything the Timberwolves tried to build.

The second half brought more of the same.

Maluach didn’t chase stats.

He let the game come to him.

He ran the floor like a gazelle, finished lobs with soft touch, and even stepped out to hit a confident 17-footer that drew oohs from the crowd.

One possession late in the third quarter saw him switch onto a guard on the perimeter, move his feet flawlessly, force a bad shot, and then sprint the floor for a thunderous alley-oop finish.

It was a sequence that felt almost scripted—like a trailer for a superstar origin story.

By the end of the night, Maluach had posted 18 points, 11 rebounds, 5 blocks, and 2 assists in just 26 minutes.

But even that stat line undersold what he had just done.

NBA insiders weren’t just impressed—they were spooked.

What happens when a player that tall moves like a wing, defends like a veteran, and plays with the poise of a seasoned pro? You get something rare.

You get a franchise-altering talent.

After the game, Suns assistant coach Marcus Green summed it up best: “He’s not just ahead of schedule.

He’s rewriting it. ”

Social media exploded.

“Wemby vs. Khaman” trended on X. Former players chimed in with praise.

Kevin Garnett posted three flame emojis with the caption “This kid’s different. ”

Even current Suns stars were watching from the sidelines, visibly stunned as their newest teammate looked like the most complete player on the floor.

The Suns have spent the last few years trying to maximize the final prime years of Kevin Durant while juggling a new era around Devin Booker and Bradley Beal.

But now, everything may have changed.

Maluach is not just another big in development—he might be the future.

A foundational centerpiece with the rare ability to dominate both ends and make teammates better.

Skeptics will remind everyone that this is Summer League.

That veterans weren’t playing.

That one game doesn’t make a career.

And they’re right.

But basketball people know when they see something different.

Something that can’t be taught.

And on July 16, 2025, Khaman Maluach showed that he has it.

Maybe the hype wasn’t loud because people didn’t know what to expect.

Maybe they thought he was too raw, too young, too international to make an immediate impact.

But the Timberwolves know now.

The scouts know now.

And the NBA, whether it’s ready or not, just got its next defensive nightmare.

The Tower of Terror has arrived.

And he’s only getting started.