Jon Scheyer Says Nik Khamenia and Top Star Among ‘Loudest’ As Duke Looks for Cooper Flagg Successor
With Cooper Flagg off to the NBA and a new era dawning in Durham, the question on every Duke fan’s mind is simple: Who’s next? As the Blue Devils prepare to turn the page from one of the most electric freshmen in program history, head coach Jon Scheyer is already looking for the next voices to rise — and two newcomers are making noise in more ways than one. According to Scheyer, freshman forwards Cameron Boozer and Nik Khamenia aren’t just talented — they’re the loudest, most vocal leaders in the room, signaling a bold new chapter for Duke basketball.
Duke basketball coach Jon Scheyer has identified freshman forwards Nik Khamenia and Cameron Boozer as the most vocal players in his incoming class.
With Cooper Flagg’s departure to the NBA, the Blue Devils need new leadership voices for the upcoming season.
Jon Scheyer Reveals Leadership Plans After Cooper Flagg’s Exit
During a recent appearance on “The Devils’ Den” YouTube channel podcast, Scheyer discussed how his team would develop leadership following major roster changes. The coach answered the questions about building chemistry with essentially a new starting five.
Scheyer made it clear that leadership growth will be a combination of situational and intentional actions. He also mentioned the interactions he witnessed during the training period with the players he has now, which he described as excellent connectivity.
“Well, I think it’s some of it definitely has to happen in an organic way. And then some of it we’re trying to build right now,” Scheyer explained. “I’ve seen, especially over the last week with our team this summer, I’ve seen a great connectivity.”
The Duke coach admitted that the returning players are not always the loudest characters. Still, he went on to emphasize particular contributions from the main returners.
“The guys we have coming back are necessarily the most outspoken, you know, but the job that Maliq has done, you know, talking with our guys, Caleb, you know, talking, you know, Isaiah has unique energy that you guys know that he’s brought to the table,” Scheyer noted.
When discussing his freshman class, Scheyer made an observation about vocal leadership.
“I would say, you know, Cam and Nick are, are, are the loudest, you know, of our freshmen,” he stated, referring to Boozer and Khamenia.
The coach continued by recognizing other newcomers’ potential contributions.
“And then, you know, Dami’s played high level and, you know, Cayden Boozer is one as much as anybody, you know, in high school and knows what it takes,” Scheyer said.
Khamenia arrives as a consensus top-15 recruit, bringing impressive credentials from Harvard-Westlake School. The 6’8″ forward won three gold medals with USA Basketball teams and was MVP of the 2024 FIBA 3×3 U18 World Cup.
Boozer, the son of former NBA All-Star Carlos Boozer, joins his twin brother Cayden at Duke. He brings championship experience from Christopher Columbus High School.
Duke faces the challenge of replacing Flagg’s leadership. Flagg became the first freshman to lead his team in every major category while guiding the Blue Devils to the Final Four.
Scheyer’s recognition of the freshmen leaders who were the most vocal indicates that they might be able to take on leading roles very soon as Duke moves beyond the Flagg era.
