Preview: Arizona State at Duke (exhibition)

Preview: Arizona State at Duke (exhibition)

Taking a look
at the impact of Khaman Maluach’s surprisingly loud voice on defense; plus
everything you need to know for the Blue Devils’ second and final preseason
game

Duke freshman center Khaman Maluach high-5s fans on his way into Countdown to Craziness. (Photo by Jaylynn Nash/USA Today Sports Images)

Sometime over the summer, around the time of K Academy, is when Caleb Foster had a realization about Khaman Maluach.

Sure, the 7-2, 250-pound freshman is one massive presence. But something else about Maluach’s presence is worth noting.

He’s loud. And vocal on defense.

“He’s ahead of his time, he’s very vocal,” Foster said of the South Sudanese big man. “Not many freshmen come in like that but he’s different.”

Maluach is soft spoken and cautious with his words in the Duke locker room — at least when media has been in there after Countdown to Craziness and last weekend’s exhibition against Lincoln (Pa.).

But the freshman center has a booming voice on the court and it’s something that Duke hasn’t had to coach into him.

“It’s something that came along with me, something that started a long time ago,” Maluach told Devils Illustrated last weekend. “I just make sure that I’m loud and my (teammates) get to hear me and get to play defense as a team.

“Make sure, let them know that I’m here and I’ve got their backs.”

The Blue Devils beat Lincoln last weekend 107-56 and face a stiffer test in their second and final exhibition game, which is Sunday night against Arizona State.

Whether you’re at Sunday night’s game or watching, you could be able to pick up how vocal Maluach is on the defensive end.

“I’ll tell you what … he’s a natural at it,” coach Jon Scheyer said of Maluach’s vocality. “He came in that way, reminds me of (Dereck) Lively, reminds me of Jared McCain.

“Just the energy (Maluach) brings all the time, he knows no other way. And it just changes your defense when you…

Source link : https://duke.rivals.com/news/preview-arizona-state-at-duke-exhibition-?yptr=yahoo

Author : Devils Illustrated

Publish date : 2024-10-26 11:23:00

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