By Ryan Yablonski
Last week, South Sudan put the basketball world on notice as the 43-point underdog took USA’s Hall of Fame-level Olympic team by surprise, dominating most of the exhibition game until falling behind in the final minutes 101-100. South Sudanese basketball has been on a meteoric rise, causing many to ask, “who is this team of world-class talent and where did they come from?” After the game, their star Wenyen Gabriel responded, “We are trying to put respect on our name and to get our country respected. To know that we don’t have any indoor basketball courts in our country…we’re a bunch of refugees that came together for a few weeks and are trying our best playing against some of the best players ever.”
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South Sudan’s roster is headlined by rising star Khaman Maluach, who is only 17 years old.
He is a towering 7’2” center, a top-three college prospect, who is committed to playing for Duke University this fall and projected to go early in the 2025 NBA Draft. He began playing basketball at 13 years old, teaching himself by watching videos of his favorite player, Giannis Antetokounmpo. Maluach is one of a new wave of terrifying oversized shooters and ball handlers who can also defend the rim at an elite level.
Carlik Jones runs the offense at point guard and stuffed the stat sheet on Friday with 15 points, 11 rebounds, and 11 assists. He is the only player to post a triple-double against Team USA in history. As a journeyman in the NBA, he has played for Dallas, Denver and Chicago and currently plays professionally in the Euroleague. His historic performance sent social media ablaze with his former fanbases asking for their teams to offer Jones a new contract.
Marial Shayok’s blazing hot shooting brought the crowd to its feet several times on Saturday night. He shot over 50% and went 6-12 on three-point attempts, as it seemed that every time USA missed a rotation, he was there to punish. He was born in Canada to Sudanese parents, was a standout at Iowa State University, and played with the Oklahoma City Thunder before his current professional contract in China.
Their spiritual leader, Loul Deng, a 2012 and 2013 All-Star for the Chicago Bulls, is the man who made the team possible. South Sudan faced a lengthy struggle to gain independence, which was finally achieved in 2011, making them the world’s youngest nation to this day. Even afterwards, they were gripped by civil war from 2013 to 2020, causing most players to grow up overseas. In 2019, Deng was made president of the South Sudanese Basketball Federation and used his own earnings from the NBA to establish developmental camps and leagues across the country. He began crossing the globe to reach far-flung talent and bring them home for the Olympics. His commitment stems from the belief that success in basketball gives his people the confidence to succeed in other facets of life. Deng’s effort resulted in South Sudan’s “Bright Stars” being the top ranked African team as well as the most intriguing team in the Olympic tournament.
“Sports brings unity. It allows people to see the possibility of working together…the competition takes people’s minds away from other things. I think basketball in the last four years has played a huge role in our peace and our development,” Luol Deng said. South Sudan is set to play a rematch in the tournament against Team USA on July 31st.