Last Updated on October 5, 2026 by Candida Lucia
Khaman Maluach’s family story stretches from South Sudan to Uganda and eventually to the NBA. Born in Rumbek, in what is now South Sudan, the Phoenix Suns center spent most of his childhood in Uganda after his family relocated there. He was raised primarily by his mother, Mary Aweng, alongside six siblings.
Maluach has repeatedly connected his basketball success with his desire to improve life for his family. His remarkable journey eventually took him from the basketball courts of Kampala to NBA Academy Africa, the South Sudan national team, Duke University and the Phoenix Suns. While his mother and two of his siblings have been publicly identified, Maluach keeps other parts of his personal life extremely private. Here is what is publicly known about Khaman Maluach’s girlfriend, children, parents and siblings.
Who Is Khaman Maluach’s Girlfriend?
Khaman Maluach does not have a publicly confirmed girlfriend as of now.
Maluach has kept his romantic life away from the public spotlight. Interviews throughout his rise from African basketball prospect to NBA player have concentrated almost entirely on basketball, his family, South Sudan and the opportunities the sport has created for him.
No reliable NBA, Duke or major sports publication has publicly identified a current girlfriend or romantic partner.
This does not necessarily mean Maluach is single. He may simply prefer to keep his relationships private. Unless Maluach confirms a relationship himself or a reliable source documents one, it would be inappropriate to identify someone as his girlfriend.
Is Khaman Maluach Married?
There is no reliable public information indicating that Khaman Maluach is married.
Maluach has not publicly announced a marriage, and his official NBA and Duke biographies do not identify a wife or spouse.
Does Khaman Maluach Have Children?
There are no publicly confirmed reports that Khaman Maluach has children.
The Phoenix Suns center has not publicly announced becoming a father, and reliable profiles of his life do not identify him as having a son or daughter.
As of now, his publicly documented family story primarily concerns his mother and siblings.
Who Are Khaman Maluach’s Parents?
Khaman Maluach was raised primarily by his mother, Mary Aweng, after his family moved from South Sudan to neighboring Uganda.
Reliable reporting provides considerably more information about his mother than his father. Several secondary websites have published claims about the identity of Maluach’s father, but major authoritative profiles do not consistently confirm those details.
For that reason, his mother can be confidently identified as Mary Aweng, while information concerning his father should be treated more cautiously.
Khaman Maluach’s Mother: Mary Aweng
Mary Aweng is Khaman Maluach’s mother.
BBC Sport Africa publicly identified Aweng during coverage of the 2025 NBA Draft, when she watched her son achieve one of the biggest milestones of his career from Uganda.
Maluach spent most of his childhood with his mother and six siblings in Kawempe, a densely populated area of Kampala.
His family had relocated from South Sudan while Khaman was so young that he has said he does not remember the move itself. Uganda became the place he considers the home of his childhood.
Aweng raised a large family while Khaman gradually discovered basketball and began spending increasing amounts of time away from home pursuing the sport.
How Khaman Maluach’s Mother Supported His Basketball Dream
Maluach did not begin playing organized basketball until his teenage years.
Basketball initially required considerable commitment. The closest court was a long walk from where he lived, and Maluach has recalled that he initially did not even have proper basketball shoes.
His talent quickly attracted attention, and in 2021 he joined NBA Academy Africa in Senegal.
That meant leaving his mother and siblings behind in Uganda for extended periods while pursuing education and basketball hundreds of miles away.
The opportunity eventually transformed his life, and Maluach has repeatedly spoken about wanting his success to improve his family’s circumstances.
Before entering the NBA, he specifically spoke about wanting to change his mother’s life and eventually give his family opportunities that basketball had made possible.
Khaman Maluach’s Mother at the 2025 NBA Draft
One of the most emotional moments in the Maluach family’s story came during the 2025 NBA Draft.
Khaman was selected with the 10th overall pick, becoming the highest-drafted player ever to come through NBA Academy Africa and the Basketball Africa League.
His mother had hoped to attend the draft in New York with other members of the family. However, visa complications prevented most of them from traveling.
Instead, Mary watched from the family’s home in Entebbe, Uganda, alongside Khaman’s older brother Majok and several of his other siblings.
BBC Sport Africa documented the family dancing, praying and celebrating when Khaman’s name was announced.
Who Is Khaman Maluach’s Father?
Khaman Maluach’s father has not been clearly identified by the strongest publicly available sources.
Some secondary basketball websites identify his father as Madit Maluach and state that he remained in South Sudan while other members of the family relocated to Uganda.
However, major profiles from sources such as BBC Sport, ESPN, Duke and the NBA focus on Maluach being raised by his mother with his siblings and do not provide enough independent confirmation to establish those details about his father with the same level of confidence.
For that reason, claims concerning his father’s identity or personal history should be treated cautiously unless Maluach himself or another authoritative source provides additional confirmation.
How Many Siblings Does Khaman Maluach Have?
Khaman Maluach grew up with six siblings.
BBC Sport Africa confirms that his mother raised Khaman alongside six other children in Uganda.
That means Maluach comes from a family of seven siblings in total.
Two of his siblings have been publicly identified by name: his older brother Majok Madit Maluach and his sister Agum Madit.
The identities of his other four siblings have not been reliably documented by major public sources.
Khaman Maluach’s Brother: Majok Madit Maluach
Majok Madit Maluach is Khaman Maluach’s older brother.
Majok became publicly known during the 2025 NBA Draft when BBC Sport Africa interviewed him about his younger brother’s achievement.
He watched the draft with their mother and other family members in Uganda and described Khaman’s selection as a blessing not only for their family but also for Africa.
Majok has also spoken about how emotional it can be watching his younger brother play basketball at the highest level.
The brothers’ relationship reflects how significant Khaman’s rise has become for a family that spent much of his childhood living far from the basketball infrastructure normally associated with future NBA lottery picks.
Khaman Maluach’s Sister: Agum Madit
Agum Madit is Khaman Maluach’s sister.
Agum lives in Australia and became particularly visible during her brother’s 2025 NBA Draft experience.
Most members of Maluach’s family were unable to travel to New York for the event, but Agum was able to attend.
She therefore represented the family in person as Khaman heard his name called with the 10th overall pick and walked onto the stage to begin his NBA career.
Her presence was especially meaningful because Maluach had expected more relatives to join him before their travel plans were disrupted.
Who Are Khaman Maluach’s Other Siblings?
Maluach has four additional siblings whose names have not been reliably established in major public reporting.
Because they are private individuals, there is little reason to speculate about their identities based on unsupported biography websites or social-media claims.
What is reliably documented is that Maluach grew up as one of seven children and that his siblings remained an important part of the family support system surrounding his basketball journey.
Khaman Maluach’s Childhood Between South Sudan and Uganda
Khaman Maluach was born on September 14, 2006, in Rumbek, in what is now South Sudan.
His family relocated to Uganda while he was very young, and Maluach has said that he does not remember the move itself.
He grew up in Kawempe, Kampala, with his mother and siblings.
Basketball was not initially Maluach’s main interest. Like many children in Uganda, he was much more interested in football and supported Manchester United.
That changed when people around him began noticing his extraordinary height.
How Khaman Maluach Discovered Basketball
Maluach began playing basketball in approximately 2019, when he was around 13 years old.
One of the most famous stories from his childhood involves a motorcycle taxi rider noticing the unusually tall teenager walking along the road and encouraging him to try basketball.
Maluach eventually attended a basketball camp connected to former NBA All-Star Luol Deng.
At first, he was extremely inexperienced. Coaches later recalled that he still needed to learn basic skills such as dribbling.
His combination of height, athletic potential and ability to learn quickly nevertheless stood out.
Within only a few years, Maluach went from being a beginner to one of Africa’s most exciting young basketball prospects.
Khaman Maluach and NBA Academy Africa
In 2021, Maluach earned a place at NBA Academy Africa in Senegal.
The academy gave him access to elite coaching, education and international competition.
It also took him away from his family in Uganda at a young age, making his basketball development another major family sacrifice.
Maluach progressed rapidly and eventually competed professionally through the Basketball Africa League’s development system.
He played for teams including Cobra Sport, AS Douanes and the City Oilers while continuing his development at the academy.
Khaman Maluach’s South Sudan National Team Career
Maluach’s rise became even more remarkable when he joined the South Sudan national basketball team while still a teenager.
He represented the country at the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup and helped South Sudan qualify for its first Olympic Games.
At the 2024 Paris Olympics, Maluach competed against some of the biggest names in world basketball while still only 17 years old.
Representing South Sudan has remained deeply meaningful to Maluach because of his family’s origins and his desire to inspire children across Africa.
Khaman Maluach’s Career at Duke
Maluach committed to Duke University and joined the Blue Devils for the 2024-25 season.
Despite having played organized basketball for only a few years, he immediately became an important member of one of the strongest teams in college basketball.
Maluach averaged 8.6 points, 6.6 rebounds and 1.3 blocks per game while shooting at an extremely efficient rate from the field.
He earned ACC All-Rookie Team honors, All-ACC Honorable Mention and a place on the NCAA East Regional All-Tournament Team.
Duke reached the 2025 Final Four before Maluach entered the NBA Draft after only one college season.
Khaman Maluach’s Journey to the Phoenix Suns
The Houston Rockets selected Maluach with the 10th overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft.
His draft rights were immediately headed to the Phoenix Suns as part of the major trade centered around Kevin Durant.
The selection made Maluach the highest-drafted former NBA Academy Africa and Basketball Africa League player in history.
His rookie season included time with both Phoenix and the Valley Suns as the organization focused on his long-term development.
Maluach showed significant progress by the summer of 2026. During NBA Summer League, he averaged 19.5 points and a league-leading 12.8 rebounds per game, earning Second-Team All-Summer League honors.
He entered the 2026-27 season as one of the most intriguing young players in Phoenix’s frontcourt.
Frequently Asked Questions About Khaman Maluach’s Family
Who is Khaman Maluach’s girlfriend?
Khaman Maluach does not have a publicly confirmed girlfriend as of now. He keeps his romantic life private, and reliable sources have not identified a current partner.
Is Khaman Maluach married?
There is no reliable public information indicating that Khaman Maluach is married.
Does Khaman Maluach have children?
There are no publicly confirmed reports that Khaman Maluach has children.
Who is Khaman Maluach’s mother?
Khaman Maluach’s mother is Mary Aweng. She raised Khaman and his six siblings after the family relocated from South Sudan to Uganda.
Who is Khaman Maluach’s father?
Major authoritative profiles do not clearly establish the identity of Khaman Maluach’s father. Some secondary sources identify him as Madit Maluach, but this detail has not been consistently confirmed by stronger sources such as the NBA, Duke, BBC or ESPN.
How many siblings does Khaman Maluach have?
Khaman Maluach has six siblings, making him one of seven children in his family.
Who is Khaman Maluach’s brother?
One of Khaman Maluach’s publicly identified siblings is his older brother, Majok Madit Maluach. Majok celebrated with their mother and siblings in Uganda when Khaman was selected in the 2025 NBA Draft.
Who is Khaman Maluach’s sister?
Khaman Maluach’s publicly identified sister is Agum Madit, who lives in Australia. She attended the 2025 NBA Draft in New York and was the only member of his immediate family able to join him there.
Where does Khaman Maluach’s family live?
Much of Maluach’s family has been based in Uganda, with BBC Sport reporting that they were living in Entebbe during the 2025 NBA Draft. His sister Agum lives in Australia.
Where was Khaman Maluach born?
Khaman Maluach was born in Rumbek, in what is now South Sudan, on September 14, 2006. He spent most of his childhood in Uganda.
Is Khaman Maluach South Sudanese?
Yes. Maluach is South Sudanese and represents South Sudan internationally. Uganda is also deeply important to him because it is where he grew up and first learned to play basketball.
Candida Lucia is a sports journalist and NBA writer specializing in tactical game analysis, player development, and league coverage. With an eye for on-court execution and team dynamics, she delivers detailed breakdowns of strategy, roster updates, and key performance trends. Passionate about bringing readers closer to the game, Candida offers engaging insights on every aspect of the NBA season, from regular-season battles to the Finals.
