DURHAM, N.C. (WNCN) – A Duke men’s basketball standout might be facing deportation following a weekend announcement from the Trump administration regarding a new visa policy.
The U.S. plans to revoke all visas held by South Sudanese passport holders effective immediately, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in a statement posted on X (formerly known as Twitter) on Saturday evening.
“I am 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 wrote in the social media post. “Due to the failure of South Sudan’s transitional government to accept the return of its repatriated citizens in a timely manner.”
Among those impacted by this decision is Duke freshman center Khaman Maluach, who’s a native of South Sudan and played for its national team at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris. The announcement was made only hours before the Blue Devils’ loss to Houston at the Final Four on Saturday night, leaving uncertainty about his future in the U.S.
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Duke center Khaman Maluach dunks the ball during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against Virginia, Monday, Feb. 17, 2025, in Charlottesville, Va. (AP Photo/Mike Kropf) -
Duke’s Khaman Maluach (9) dunks the ball in front of Illinois’ Tomislav Ivisic (13) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game Saturday, Feb. 22, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
Maluach, a projected lottery pick in the upcoming NBA Draft this June, was not made available to the media following the game.
CBS 17 reached out to Duke University spokesperson Frank Tramble, the school’s vice president for communications, marketing and public affairs, to inquire about Maluach and his immigration status. Tramble responded with 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.”
The 7-foot-2 big man played a major role for a Duke team that won 35 games this season and advanced to the program’s first Final Four appearance in three years. He became a force to be reckoned with for the Blue Devils in the paint, averaging 8.6 points, 6.6 rebounds and 1.3 blocks per game while shooting 71.2% from the field.
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NEWARK, NEW JERSEY – MARCH 29: Khaman Maluach #9 of the Duke Blue Devils cuts down the net after defeating the Alabama Crimson Tide in the East Regional Elite Eight round of the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at Prudential Center on March 29, 2025 in Newark, New Jersey. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images) -
NEWARK, NEW JERSEY – MARCH 27: Cooper Flagg (L) #2 and Khaman Maluach #9 of the Duke Blue Devils react during the second half of the game against the Arizona Wildcats during the Sweet Sixteen round of the 2025 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament held at Prudential Center on March 27, 2025 in Newark, New Jersey. (Photo by Ben Solomon/NCAA Photos via Getty Images)
Maluach stepped up his play on the hardwood during March Madness, scoring in double figures in the Sweet 16 against Arizona and the Elite Eight against Alabama.
It’s unknown whether Maluach was aware of the state department announcement prior to Saturday’s matchup with Houston. He finished with six points, one block and zero rebounds while only playing 21 minutes due to foul trouble.