Duke Reacts to Big News on Five-Star Recruit Before Freshman Season originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
Duke men’s basketball entered this past season with what looked like a powerhouse roster. Led by freshman sensation Cooper Flagg, the Blue Devils were widely expected to win the NCAA championship. However, they fell short in the Final Four, losing to a less-heralded Houston Cougars team.
Flagg, along with big man Khaman Maluach and sharpshooter Kon Knueppel, have all declared for the NBA Draft, which takes place next week. Despite these significant departures, Duke has enjoyed a very strong recruiting season and has largely replenished its roster for the upcoming year.
One of Duke’s commits is Nikolas Khamenia, a 6-foot-8 forward from the greater Los Angeles area. The school announced on its official X account that he will be on Team USA men’s basketball’s under-19 squad.
He will represent the country at the FIBA U19 Men’s World Cup, which will take place in Switzerland starting on June 28. He made the cut after over 30 players were invited to tryouts.
S/O to our guy @NikolasKhamenia on making the USA U19 squad! 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/PW31kefXpy
— Duke Men’s Basketball (@DukeMBB) June 20, 2025
Khamenia grew up in North Hollywood in the San Fernando Valley just minutes north of downtown Los Angeles, and he attended Harvard-Westlake School, an elite prep school in L.A.
His father, Valery, who is originally from Belarus, once played college basketball at George Washington and is currently an assistant coach at Los Angeles Valley College.
He is considered one of the top prospects in the class of 2025, and according to 247 Sports, he is a five-star recruit. He had offers from other prominent basketball schools, including UCLA.
Related: Paige Bueckers Comments on Cooper Flagg’s Potential Move to Dallas
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 21, 2025, where it first appeared.
