Na desátém místě ho sice draftoval Houston, v jehož kšiltovce ještě pózoval se šéfem ligy Adamem Silverem, Rockets jej ale obratem vyměnili do Phoenixu. To ale Maluachovi radost nekazilo. „Vyrůstal jsem v Africe, budu v NBA reprezentovat celý kontinent. Chci dát naději malým dětem a inspirovat budoucí generaci afrických basketbalistů,“ pravil krátce po draftu v rozhovoru pro ESPN, přičemž si z obličeje otíral slzy.
Maluach se narodil v roce 2006 v Rumbeku. Jižním Súdánem ale o sedm let později začala zmítat občanská válka a z obav o bezpečnost se tak rodina přesunula do Ugandy. Z Maluacha se stal v útlém věku uprchlík.
Sport mu rychle přirostl k srdci, ale v nové zemi se zaměřil spíš na fotbal. Ten se dal hrát všude, zatímco nejbližší kurt byl vzdálen čtyřicet minut pěšky od domova. S basketbalem tak Maluach začal až ve 12 letech, kdy si jeho neobvyklé výšky (nyní 218 cm) všiml jeden ze skautů NBA působících v Africe.
Foto: Adam Hunger, ČTK/AP
Khaman Maluach v momentě, kdy slyšel své jméno na draftu NBA v Brooklynu.
Stačil jeden telefonát Brendanovi McKillopovi, jednomu z viceprezidentů NBA. „Možná jsem našel nový talent,“ zaznělo mu do ucha.
O dva roky později už byl Maluach v Senegalu, kde NBA spustila akademii pro mladé hráče z Afriky. A protože se rodákovi z Jižního Súdánu na palubovce dařilo, začaly se mu pomalu otevírat další dveře. Dostal se na soupisky týmů hrajících africkou ligu, kterou má NBA pod patronátem.
Před letošní sezonou se dokonce dostal do Spojených států na univerzitu Duke. Předtím si v létě stihl s Jižním Súdánem střihnout účast na olympijských hrách v Paříži. „Na této cestě jsme s Khamanem čtyři roky. A budeme s ním nejen do konce jeho kariéry, ale i dlouho poté. Je to celoživotní závazek, který mezinárodním hráčům dáváme,“ uvedl Troy Justice, jenž má na starosti mezinárodní basketbalové aktivity NBA.
Liga dokonce Maluachovi pomohla s vízy. Když se loni v létě dostal 18letý basketbalista poprvé do Spojených států, dostal tříměsíční vízum pro zahraniční studenty. Jenže poté vyhrál prezidentské volby v USA jistý Donald Trump, jehož administrativa zamezila vstup do země lidem z 12 zemí a tento zákaz chtěla později rozšířit na další státy, kam už by se Jižní Súdán pravděpodobně dostal.
Draft do NBA situaci Maluachovi výrazně ulehčí. Mohl by dostat víza pro profesionální sportovce a začít budovat svůj odkaz v zámoří. Aby na něj mohli být pyšní nejen rodiče, ale celá Afrika.
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