"Definitely underrated on defense": Duke freshman Nik Khamenia shares his best qualities, decision to join Jon Scheyer's team & more  

Nik Khamenia will be ready to join the Boozer twins with the Duke Blue Devils as they begin their collegiate journey. The 6-foot-8 small forward made an appearance on The Brotherhood Podcast, uploaded by Duke Basketball on Sunday.

Khamenia, who was ranked No. 16 nationally, finished his high school career at Harvard-Westlake. He was asked about the best hoops program in the Mission League, to which Khamenia answered Harvard-Westlake and got into a lighthearted debate as the host, Caleb Foster, kept saying Notre Dame.

"My record vs Notre Dame is a winning record for sure," Nikolas Khamenia defended his former team. "Harvard-Westlake is going off of seven straight Mission League championships. So, we have to be the best team in the Mission League." (TS-5:09)

Nik Khamenia was then asked to give his scouting report.

"I start by saying versatility. I think I'm a really good passer," Khamenia said. "I think I can shoot the ball really well. And I think I'm definitely underrated on defense. I feel like I get to the right spots a lot, you know? I don't like when people score on me. So, like I feel like defense is really a mental game." (TS- 5:34)

He also spoke about his trainer, Robert Icart, and staying in the same school.

"It really starts from like making those decisions just based on loyalty. So Robert Icart was one of the first people who believed in me when I was like 12 years old, when he saw me play with his son, and he wanted me to come and play for his program BTI, and so I kind of just stuck with him the entire time."

---

Nik Khamenia wins his third gold medal at the FIBA U19 Basketball World Cup

After winning the gold medal in the 2024 FIBA 3x3 U18 Men's World Cup and the MVP award in Debrecen, Hungary, and the 2024 FIBA Men's U18 AmeriCup in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Nik Khamenia helped Team USA win the FIBA U19 World Cup in Switzerland earlier this month.

Khamenia averaged 9.7 points on 46.0% shooting, including 44.0% from the three-point line. He also recorded 3.3 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 1.3 steals and 0.1 blocks per game in seven games.

He will join the Boozer twins, Sebastian Wilkins and Dame Sarr next season.