The Duke Blue Devils will need some time to get over their upset in the Final Four, but the current period could place extra stress on one of their players as he’s thought to be facing deportation.
Duke found themselves on the wrong end of one of the most shocking collapses in NCAA men’s basketball history after surrendering a 14-point second-half lead to the Houston Cougars on Saturday, ultimately losing 70-67.
A late 11-1 run by Houston inflicted damage the Blue Devils were unable to recover from in time. They will have to watch proceedings from the sidelines, with Houston and Florida scheduled to play for the National Title this Monday night.
With the wounds from the loss still stinging, one of their players is thought to be under extra pressure as he’s facing the threat of deportation. This comes as a result of President Donald Trump’s new policy, which was announced by Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
Rubio disclosed that the Trump Administration is “taking actions to revoke all visas held by South Sudanese passport holders,” which leaves Duke center Khaman Maluach in danger of being deported.
Duke Is Aware Of The Situation Likely To Affect Khaman Maluach
Maluach, who averaged 8.6 points and 6.6 rebounds per game for Duke this season, hails from South Sudan.
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According to Rubio, the decision was taken “due to the failure of South Sudan’s transitional government to accept the return of its repatriated citizens in a timely manner.”
A State Department rep added that the mandate will impact anyone with a U.S. visa on a South Sudanese passport and anyone with a South Sudanese passport currently applying for a U.S. visa.
Khaman Maluach did not speak to reporters after the game, but Duke has since made a statement, confirming that they are aware of the situation and are working to understand how it could affect their students.
