NBA Helps South Sudan Talent Beat Travel Ban Challenges

(Juba) – As 18 year old South Sudanese basketball player Khaman Maluach prepares to hear his name called at the 2025 NBA Draft in Brooklyn, his rise from a conflict displaced child in Uganda to a potential global sports icon almost didn’t happen, not because of his skill, but because of his passport.

The 7 foot 2 forward, who starred for Duke University in his freshman season, is expected to become South Sudan’s highest profile player to enter the NBA.

But in April, just after Duke’s Final Four exit, the U.S. State Department revoked all visas held by South Sudanese nationals, triggering uncertainty about whether Maluach could legally remain in or re-enter the United States, a requirement for joining any of the league’s 29 U.S.-based teams.

Born in Rumbek, South Sudan, and raised in Uganda after fleeing conflict, Maluach began playing basketball only five years ago. Spotted at age 12 by an NBA Africa scout, he later trained in the NBA’s Senegal based academy.

Since then, the league has supported his growth, helping him travel, train, and compete internationally despite bureaucratic obstacles.

He played in the Basketball Africa League, participated in NBA All-Star showcases, and represented South Sudan at the 2024 Paris Olympics as the youngest basketball player at the Games.

His legal status became complicated after his F-1 student visa expired. He remained in the U.S. legally through his university issued I-20 form, but due to visa restrictions, he could not leave the country.

As of June, his application for a B-1/B-2 business visa is pending. Should he be drafted, the NBA will assist him in obtaining a P-1 professional athlete visa or its Canadian equivalent if drafted by the Toronto Raptors.

Trump administration immigration policies, including a renewed travel ban affecting South Sudan, have made international player mobility more difficult.

These policies mean that Maluach would need a visa renewal process every time he leaves and re-enters the United States for games, including away matches in Canada or international tournaments.

The NBA’s international basketball operations team, a small but vital division of 38 staff members across 14 countries, has quietly become key to solving such problems.

Its efforts helped secure legal pathways for more than 2,000 international players and staff this year alone, up from 400 cases annually in the early 2000s.

The team also builds diplomatic ties with governments to ensure that rising stars like Maluach do not miss opportunities due to shifting global immigration laws.

South Sudanese athletes face unique hurdles. Visas from South Sudan have long attracted scrutiny in Western immigration systems, and political instability has made international travel even more difficult.

Maluach, who has never overstayed or violated visa terms, is nonetheless subject to complex policies that restrict global movement for South Sudanese nationals.

Despite these challenges, NBA officials say the league remains committed to nurturing young talent from countries like South Sudan.

Troy Justice, head of international basketball at the NBA, said the organization views its work as “lifelong commitments.” Maluach’s journey, he added, is “the culmination of years and years of work” by NBA Africa staff and global development programs.

The NBA has grown significantly more international in recent decades. A record 125 players from 43 countries competed in the 2024–25 season. The league’s grassroots reach now includes more than 30 million coaches, referees, and youth players worldwide.

As the number of international stars grows, so too does the complexity of the immigration systems they must navigate.

The NBA’s work behind the scenes, including diplomacy and legal advocacy, helped protect Maluach’s dream at a critical moment. On the eve of the draft, NBA officials took Maluach and his siblings to dinner in New York to celebrating not just his talent, but his perseverance.

Brendan McKillop, one of the NBA officials who discovered Maluach, praised the teenager’s humility and resilience. “He is as humble a young man as has ever come through this program,” he said. “We are thrilled that he has this opportunity in front of him.”