Posted on by

Nik Khamenia, 4-star forward, prefers Duke over UCLA: What this means for Blue Devils

Nik Khamenia, 4-star forward, prefers Duke over UCLA: What this means for Blue Devils

Four-star forward Nikolas Khamenia, the No. 27 prospect in the 2025 recruiting class according to the 247Sports composite, has committed to Duke, he announced Tuesday.

Khamenia was long considered a UCLA supporter, but ultimately chose the Blue Devils over the Bruins and Gonzaga Bulldogs, his other finalists.

The 6-foot-1, 200-pound Khamenia is Duke’s third commitment for 2025, giving the Blue Devils and coach Jon Scheyer an early lead in naming the nation’s best recruiting class. Earlier this month, Scheyer picked up twins Cameron and Cayden Boozer — the No. 2 and 21 picks in the class, respectively — to give Duke two building blocks for the future. With Khamenia now on board, Duke has already signed three of the top 30 recruits in the country and is sure to add more in the coming months.

If Duke makes it into the top recruiting class in the country, it would be the third time in four years the program has done so under Scheyer, who earned the top class in 2022 before officially succeeding the retiring Mike Krzyzewski.

When it comes to his skills, Khamenia’s two calling cards are his passing and his shooting, which comfortably reaches the 3-point line. Khamenia isn’t as big of a ball player as Kyle Filipowski (or Cooper Flagg this season), but his creativity and vision make him well-suited to being a hub in the passing game.

As he gets stronger, it’s easy to imagine him punishing opposing double teams and traps from the post. And even though he’s not a particularly good ball player, he can find teammates with a lively dribble and has the ability to hit them in an instant. His 3-point shooting is another strength that has proven itself at the highest level of youth basketball. He should be a threat on the perimeter from the start, as Scheyer can surround Boozer and potential returners as a low-use shooter connector.

Could Khamenia play significant minutes as a rookie?

It’s possible but not guaranteed. Flagg won’t be around after this season and is projected to be the No. 1 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft. Center Khaman Maluach is also expected to be a hit, as is 6-foot-2 wing Kon Knueppel, who has generated lottery hype among scouts who visited Duke this preseason. Graduates Mason Gillis and Sion James are also not eligible to play. So while Cam Boozer arrives and will take Flagg’s place as Duke’s starting four, there is potential for Khamenia to be alongside him, either as a bigger winger or as a backup.

The biggest concern with Khamenia right now is his athleticism, or lack thereof, and how that impacts defense at the highest levels of college basketball. Khamenia will most likely need to add more strength to become a more capable post defender, as his foot speed on the perimeter isn’t exactly elite.

Still, Khamenia is a significant addition for Duke, especially considering how much Scheyer will have to replace from the current roster. He’s not a slam dunk, but he’s absolutely a player who can help the Blue Devils as a rookie – which is saying something in this era.

Required reading

• Cameron and Cayden Boozer prefer Duke over Miami, Fla.: What 5-star twins bring to the Blue Devils
• Cooper Flagg’s Duke debut is just the beginning of a season full of highly anticipated moves

(Photo by Jon Scheyer: Grant Halverson / Getty Images)