Cameron Boozer drops 3-word reaction in awe of Nikolas Khamenia after FIBA U19 World Cup win

Duke Blue Devils signee Nikolas Khamenia became a three-time gold medalist following Team USA's FIBA U19 World Cup win on Sunday.

Duke shared an Instagram post on Tuesday about Khamenia. It highlighted his international gold medals at the 2024 U18 AmeriCup, 2024 3x3 U18 World Cup and 2025 U19 World Cup.

Fellow Blue Devils signee Cameron Boozer was in awe of Khamenia.

"3 time medalist😱😱😱," Boozer wrote.

Cameron Boozer's comment on Nikolas Khamenia's FIBA U19 World Cup post (image credit: instagram/dukembb)

At the 2024 FIBA U18 Men’s AmeriCup held in Buenos Aires, Khamenia started all six games for Team USA. He averaged 7.7 points, 6.3 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 1.0 steals and 1.0 blocks per game. The Americans had an undefeated run and won the championship.

Khamenia was also the MVP at the 2024 FIBA 3x3 U18 Men’s World Cup in Debrecen, Hungary. He led the team to a 21-13 victory over Spain in the final and secured the gold.

The 6-foot-8 small forward is set to join Duke and begin his freshman year. Blue Devils coach John Scheyer was an influential factor in his decision.

“I think ultimately, he is just a great player’s coach," Khamenia said on June 7, via On3. "And I think for guys who aren’t afraid to be coached, he is the perfect fit."

Cameron and Cayden Boozer, Dame Sarr and Sebastian Wilkins will join Kahamenia on the team next season.

Nikolas Khamenia's performance in the USA’s 2025 FIBA U19 World Cup run

Nikolas Khamenia contributed significantly to Team USA's unbeaten run at the 2025 FIBA U19 World Cup in Switzerland. He averaged 9.8 points, 3.2 rebounds and 2.5 assists over seven games. He was efficient, shooting 44.2%, including 44.0% from beyond the arc.

Khamenia’s best performance was against Cameroon in the group stage, where he recorded 14 points, seven rebounds and five assists in 22 minutes. In the Round of 16 against Jordan, he posted 10 points, four rebounds and four assists. He also contributed in the semifinal against New Zealand with 13 points on 55.6% shooting in just 14 minutes.

In the final versus Germany, Khamenia had nine points and three rebounds, helping Team USA to a 109-76 victory. His performance helped secure the country's ninth U19 World Cup title.

About the author

Nishant is a Delhi-based journalist at Sportskeeda specializing in High School Sports. He graduated in Mathematical Sciences and is pursuing a Masters in Operational Research at Delhi University.

With his educational background and over four years of experience, Nishant likes to be precise with information. He is passionate about cricket, football, basketball, and chess, often writing about events and game analysis.

His favorite team is the Michigan Wolverines, and he thoroughly enjoyed their unbeaten season and championship win, especially when it culminated in Jim Harbaugh fulfilling his promise of getting a tattoo.

When he is not working or watching sports, Nishant likes to play football and write poetry. Wrapping everything in humor with relatable memes and defending his heart out on the football field is why he gets up every day.

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Edited by Victor Ramon Galvez