Nikolas Khamenia, the No. 19 overall prospect in the 2025 recruiting class, is about to make his college decision. He will announce his commitment on Tuesday, Oct. 22 at 2:30 pm PT (5:30 pm ET), live from Harvard-Westlake School. The announcement will be broadcast live on the 247Sports Channel.
Khamenia is choosing from a trio of finalists: Duke, Gonzaga, and UCLA. He visited all three schools this fall, along with North Carolina and Arizona.
In discussions about his decision-making process, Khamenia emphasized the factors that will be most important to him, including the influence of the Boozer twins committing to Duke and the status of his relationships with Gonzaga and UCLA.
“Going into the decision, it’s just going to be about finding a place where I can continue to grow both on and off the court,” Khamenia told 247Sports national analyst Brandon Jenkins. “Of course, I want to grow as a basketball player, but off the court, I want to grow as a person. I’m going to have to grow up in college; that’s just the way it is. I want a coach who’s going to believe in me, a coaching staff that’s going to trust me, and who won’t put me in a box offensively, allowing me to play the way I play.”
Duke:
“Those dudes (Cameron and Cayden Boozer) are winners. I’ve actually talked to them about how they are on and off the court. Those two are really good players. It would be really cool to play with them; they are winners like myself and like to win games. I don’t look at it any differently since they committed. I still see it as the same opportunity, and Duke values my versatility.”
Gonzaga:
“They want me to come in and be a main guy for them. They want me to be versatile, be a wing that can score the ball. They believe in me and I’ve had a really good relationship with the coaching staff since my sophomore year. They’ve been by my school a few times recently and we’ve had good meetings.”
UCLA:
“First and foremost, Coach Cronin and the staff have been recruiting me since my freshman and sophomore years. They’ve been pursuing me for quite a while now, and I’ve developed a great relationship with them. Additionally, I have two former teammates currently at the school, and it’s just over the hill—about 25 minutes from home—so it’s very close.”
Scouting Report on Khamenia
Khamenia possesses a rare combination of size, skill, and basketball IQ. At 6-foot-8, he is built like a forward or big wing but excels as an exceptional passer, facilitating like a guard. He’s also a very good shooter with great instincts and a natural feel for the game. As a passer, he can deliver darts off the dribble with both hands and thread the needle when necessary while understanding the importance of moving the ball. He picks up concepts quickly, adapts easily to offensive structures, has good footwork, and utilizes shot fakes effectively.
While Khamenia’s passing may be his standout skill, he is also a consistent shooting threat from beyond the arc and a solid ball-handler. He can create plays from various spots on the floor and is particularly adept at initiating the break after grabbing a rebound. He projects as a facilitating forward at the next level but has also spent considerable time in a point-forward role in various settings.
DECISION
Nikolas Khamenia, a top-20 prospect in the national class, will announce his college commitment tomorrow on the @247Sports channel. https://t.co/gMBM1ifehn pic.twitter.com/fsRYIRUC7g
— Adam Finkelstein (@AdamFinkelstein) October 21, 2024
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