Makur Maker -- a 6-foot-11 Kenyan-born Australian living in the United States -- is entering the 2020 NBA draft, sources told ESPN on Saturday.
Agile at nearly 7-foot, Maker caught the attention of NBA teams with his ability to handle the ball in the open court and create shots for himself.
The NBA agreed to allow Maker, 19, to be eligible for the 2020 draft class although he was two credits short of graduating with his original 2019 high school class in California.
Maker, the No. 75 prospect in the ESPN top 100, has taken a circuitous route to the NBA draft. He was born in Kenya to South Sudanese parents, emigrated to Perth, Australia, in 2001 and moved to California in 2015. He joined his cousins (Detroit Pistons forward) Thon and Matur Maker in Ontario, and was home-schooled from 2016 to 2018 while attending showcases in the United States. He first started to receive NBA attention at the Pangos All-American Camp and Adidas Nations in the summer of 2017.
Makur Maker's recruiting profile increased with his play on the summer AAU circuit with Dream Vision, averaging 14.7 points, 7.9 rebounds and one block in 26 minutes per game. He shot 73% from 2-point range, 30% from 3 and 61% from the free throw line.
The NBA draft is currently set for June 25 in Brooklyn, but it's unclear if that date will stand based upon the NBA's shutdown due to the coronavirus pandemic.
