Duke basketball cements #1 2025 recruiting class after Nikolas Khamenia commitment
By Hugh Straine
Jon Scheyer and the rest of the Duke coaching staff have landed another high-level recruit in Nikolas Khamenia, the #19 overall prospect in the 247sports class of 2025 rankings. Khamenia ultimately chose the Blue Devils over Gonzaga and UCLA.
The 6' 9" 220-pound power forward joins #2 overall recruit Cameron Boozer and #21 overall recruit Cayden Boozer as 2025 pledges to Duke.
Khamenia committed live on the 247sports YouTube channel with Adam Finkelstein on hand to interview him during the announcement process. Finkelstein asked the obvious question after the announcement was made: "why Duke?" Here's what the prospect had to say.
"It just felt right, it was a gut feeling. Going on my visit, it just felt like a home....It just felt like the place for me. Coach Scheyer has belief in me and my abilities as a basketball player, and it just felt like home."
Finkelstein then asked Khamenia what Duke fans can expect to get out of him during his time in a Blue Devil uniform, and his answer will certainly pump Duke fans up for the 2025 season.
"Just expect a winner. I'm going to come there and I'm going to give it all I have, not even 110 percent I'm going to give it a thousand percent, and I'm going to come in every day and just work by butt off. And ultimately, I'm coming to win a national championship."
Duke now sits with the #1 overall recruiting class in the country for the class of 2025. If the Blue Devils stay there, it will be the second straight year and second time in three years under Jon Scheyer that Duke has the #1 overall recruiting class.