Duke continues to find success on the recruiting trail during the month of October. This afternoon, Nikolas Khamenia, the No. 19 overall recruit in the national senior class committed to Duke live on the 247Sports Channel.
“It was honestly was just a gut feeling,” Khamenia said on his commitment. “Going on my visit, it felt like my next home and ultimately I think that is the best place for me.”
A 6-foot-8 playmaking forward out of Studio City (Calif.) Harvard Westlake, Khamenia was one of the more widely recruited prospects in the class. He chose the Blue Devils out of a final three that also included Gonzaga and UCLA.
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Khamenia completed his official visit to Durham last month in September and felt comfortable with the coaching staff and his relationships with the players on the Blue Devils roster.
“Duke values my versatility,” Khamenia said in a previous interview. “Jon Scheyer is a young coach who relates to his guys and they have a coaching staff where a lot of them played at Duke. Chris Carrawell is one of the coaches who was also a player there.”
“I also got to play with the guys and I know some of the players who are already there,” Khamenia continued. “Spencer Hubbard used to be at Harvard Westlake and I have a great relationship with him. I also played with Pat Ngongba on the USA team this summer so I know him pretty well.”
Khamenia joins fellow top-25 senior recruits Cameron and Cayden Boozer to give Duke the No. 2 recruiting class in the country. A two-time state champion in the CIF Open Division — arguably the toughest state tournament bracket in the country — Khamenia has a high respect for the Boozers’ decorated background.
“Those dudes are winners,” Khamenia recently said on having the opportunity to play with the Boozer twins. “I have actually talked to them about it and how they are on and off the court. Those two are really good players. It will be really cool to play with them. They are winners like myself and like to win games.”
When discussing what he plans to bring to The Brotherhood, Khamenia looks forward to bringing his winning qualities to Durham.
“They are getting a true winner,” Khamenia said. “I am a guy who is going to come in and give it his all every single day.”
