Suns rookie Khaman Maluach posts career night in first NBA start

PHOENIX – Next man up, no matter what.

That’s the mentality Suns coach Jordan Ott says his team’s young core has embodied all season – a mentality that was on full display Wednesday as the Suns beat the Dallas Mavericks, 112-107 at Mortgage Matchup Center.

“They’ve got to continue to work like they’re going to play tonight,” Ott said before the game. “You’re one (key player) ankle sprain away from being back in the rotation and playing 20 to 30 minutes in a meaningful game. So, the reps will come when they come. If they don’t, continue to work.”

Those reps came Wednesday. Khaman Maluach took advantage of them.

Maluach, a rookie center and the No. 10 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, logged his first career start against Dallas, where he posted a dominant 14 rebounds and three blocks to go along with four points. 

Maluach, who has spent most of his rookie season floating between the Suns and their G-League affiliate Valley Suns, played only seven minutes across Phoenix’s previous three games. However, injury management for usual-starter Mark Williams gave Maluach the opportunity to showcase his value, and in a career-high 30 minutes, Ott believes Maluach did just that.

“Just good reps for him, good experience to get out there,” Ott said after the game. “That just speaks volumes to his progress that he’s made over the course of the year. This is just the next step. Even the fourth quarter, late in the game, for him to get those reps. You just can’t duplicate that in anything else.”

Despite getting his first opportunity to start in an NBA game, Maluach entered the contest with the same next-man-up mentality he has brought to every game.

“I had the same mindset, same approach as usual,” Maluach said. “Be ready, stay ready and just be able to help my team win.”

In addition to being a career night for Maluach, this game held an extra level of importance for him, as it was the first time he played against former Duke teammate and Mavericks star rookie Cooper Flagg.

“As soon as we step on those lines, man, it’s competition,” Maluach said. “We go against each other and we’re trying to do whatever it takes for our teams to win. The time we step off, that’s my brother. We spent a lot of time together at school and we are best friends.”

In the fourth quarter, the competitive fire was on full display between Flagg and Maluach. As Flagg drove to the basket and tried to dunk on Maluach, Flagg’s attempt was aggressively denied at the rim by the South Sudanese center. 

“I mean, it always feels good to get a block, especially on a dunk,” Maluach said. “It felt extra good because it was (Flagg). Before the game, he was like, ‘I’m going to dunk on you,’ and I was like, ‘I’ll try to block it.’”