Duke University says it is “looking into” what it means for Maluach and other students.
DURHAM, N.C. — Duke men’s basketball player Khaman Maluach may be affected by a recent State Department ruling concerning South Sudanese passport holders in the U.S., according to CNN.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced on Saturday in a post on X that he would be “taking actions to revoke all visas held by South Sudanese passport holders and to restrict any further issuance to prevent entry into the United States, effective immediately.”
Rubio said that this decision was due to “the failure of South Sudan’s transitional government to accept the return of its repatriated citizens in a timely manner.”
The 7’2 center just finished his freshman season at Duke, where he averaged 8.6 points, 6.6 rebounds and 1.3 blocks per game, according to CNN.
This news broke Saturday night before the Duke and Houston Final Four game. In the Blue Devils’ stunning loss to the Cougars, Maluach had zero rebounds. No comment has been made on whether Maluach knew at that time.
According to CNN, Frank Tremble, Duke’s Vice President for Communications, issued the following statement: “Duke University is aware of the announcement from the Department of State regarding visa holders from South Sudan. We are looking into the situation and working expeditiously to understand any implications for Duke students.”
A State Department spokesperson also said, “We will not comment on particular visa cases. Under U.S. law, visa records are confidential. We will provide further information and instructions to affected visa holders and applicants as it is available.”
Maluach was expected to be a lottery pick in the 2025 NBA Draft.
He was born in the town of Rumbek and fled with his family to Uganda when he was a boy due to a conflict in South Sudan, according to CNN. The center represented his country at the Olympics last year in Paris, which was the first time that a basketball team from South Sudan had appeared at the Games.