What’s on his mind moments after being drafted?
BROOKLYN, NY — Right after Khaman Maluach was drafted to the Phoenix Suns, Bright Side got to do a 1 on 1 with the team’s newest member where he shared what’s on his mind moments after hearing his name announced.
(The following answers have been lightly edited for brevity and clarity.)
What are you feeling right now?
Khaman Maluach: I’m just feeling blessed. I’m just feeling so happy, excited, man, to go to the city, and excited to represent this team and have that jersey come and be on the floor as a Phoenix sun.
Anyone you want to thank right now?
KM: I mean, first of all, this is all thanks to God, because without God, I wouldn’t be here. And I want to thank my family, my mother, my father, for raising me to be the man I am today and showing me the values of life at a young age. And it’s not a it’s not one, one person effort. I think it’s a collective effort, and whoever is out there has ever believed in me, all the guys that helped me and pushed me to the top corners. Thank you.
Have you spoke to the Suns yet?
KM: I haven’t spoken to anybody yet.
Have you watched a lot of Devin Booker? What do you know about his game?
KM: I watched a lot of DEVIN BOOKER. One of my teammates best friend is Devin Booker, so whenever Suns games were on, we watched it, I played him at the Olympics too.
What teammate was that?
KM: Caleb Foster
Do you have a relationship with Grayson Allen or Mark Williams? (Both went to Duke)
KM: Yeah, I have a relationship with Mark Williams. I mean, we were all part of the Brotherhood, and we were talking through my through my college recruitment process, and I would go to him and ask him, what’s, what’s the best thing about Duke, and how did they help you and all that stuff.
You said you were delusional for thinking you could make the NBA, how are you going to keep that mindset in a league full of confident players?
KM: I just got to have my own confidence. I just got to go build around me and have a great circle around me and keep on learning each and every day, and still have other delusional dreams of believing in myself and just getting better each and every day.
Not only is your platform getting larger, but your story and what you’ve gone through is going to be more well known throughout throughout the world. What do you want to do with your larger platform now? How do you want to create change? In whatever way you want to create change.
KM: I want to use my platform for to impact other people’s lives, to change other kids lives, and and give them a vision to open their eyes that no matter what, or how many odds are against you, you can still make it.
What is one piece of advice you would give to someone who is scared to start a goal, who feels like the odds are stacked against them? What would you say to them?
KM: As I say, be delusional about your dreams. Be delusional and believe in yourself before anybody else does, because if you believe in yourself and you start taking the right step, everybody else will see your vision and they’ll start believing in you.
Anything else you’d like to say, or any anyone else you want to talk about?
KM: Thanks to everybody out there, and thanks to all my fans and Phoenix fan supporters.
Any messages for Suns fans?
KM: I’m just so excited. I’m excited to play and wear a Phoenix Suns jersey.
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