The New Orleans Pelicans are playing some incredible basketball right now — incredibly uninspiring. They may have just notched their 20th win of the season over the Philadelphia 76ers, but this victory isn't one that the team should be celebrating. Firstly, this W was counterproductive to their tank and aspirations for the remainder of the year. Secondly, it featured the Pelicans' B-team beating up on the collection of G-Leaguers that the Sixers rolled out.
Just because the Pelicans are actively trying to lose games for the rest of the year doesn't mean that their fans don't have anything worth watching. New Orleans might not be sending out their top talents on a nightly basis, but fans can still tune into the development of players like Jordan Hawkins and Lester Quinones, who made his debut for the Pels against the 76ers.
For those who want to take a reprieve from the NBA, though, this is the perfect time to pivot to college basketball. Spring ball in the NBA might not always have the best slate of games, but March Madness is still raging on right now, and the Pelicans and their faithful have extra reason to be plugged into the NCAA tournament this year. The Pelicans should be paying extra close attention to the Duke Blue Devils and their run this season, and not just because of projected number-one pick Cooper Flagg.
Khaman Maluach could be the dream center that the New Orleans Pelicans have been waiting for
Cooper Flagg is in rare air as a prospect. He could be absolutely terrible for the remainder of Duke's run in the NCAA tournament, and it would have little effect on his status as the prohibitive number-one pick for the 2025 NBA Draft. The Pelicans are familiar with these kinds of blueblood talents that become locks to go first, considering they selected two of the more recent ones in Anthony Davis and Zion Williamson.
If the Pelicans land the number one pick this summer, there shouldn't be any doubt about who they'll end up choosing. Anything outside of the first selection should be taken into serious consideration, and a different Duke Blue Devil might be the best possible option for New Orleans, even at two.
Khaman Maluach has asserted himself as one of the top players in the country this season and could further elevate his stock in the remainder of Duke's March Madness run. The 18-year-old center is a legitimate 7'2" with a 7'6" wingspan. He won't even turn 19 until right before the 2025-26 NBA season begins, so there's a chance that he's not even done growing yet.
Maluach isn't the typical lumbering giant a la Tacko Fall, Boban Marjanovic, and Zach Edey though. He's got incredibly quick and active feet, especially for his size. Despite his towering frame, he can be seen regularly defending out at the level on screen actions and even switching onto perimeter attackers, because he has the physical aptitude to do so. When he is anchoring the paint, he's an absolute force who can wall off drivers, contest shots without fouling, and block attempts from all over the lane.
On offense, his role is pretty limited, but he's already shown some advanced skills that could make him the perfect complement for Zion. He's a great screener who puts effort and technique into sealing off defenders. He has good hands for someone his size and is capable of making catches in traffic on rim-rolls and lobs. Due to his massive stature, he has a nearly limitless catch radius that playmakers like Big Z could take full advantage of. He's even been flirting with an outside shot and has gone 1-1 from 3-point range so far in the NCAA tournament. He's also displayed good touch from the free-throw line and on his finesse shots, so developing a consistent deep range shouldn't be outside the realm of reality.
Maluach's dominance is especially impressive when considering the fact that he only started playing organized basketball four years ago when he became the youngest athlete ever to enroll in an NBA Academy at 14. If he's already this food, this soon, then the sky is truly the limit for this Duke giant. If the Pelicans miss out on Cooper Flagg, there's a strong chance that they could go with his teammate, Khaman Maluach, and he could be a lot more than a consolation prize.