With Duke basketball’s offseason in full swing, the Blue Zone is here to break down film from the new additions to both the men’s and women’s teams. On the men’s side, we’ve already looked at Jack Scott, Ifeanyi Ufochukwu, Cayden Boozer, Sebastian Wilkins and Dame Sarr. Next up is freshman forward Nikolas Khamenia:
A consensus top-20 prospect, incoming freshman Nikolas Khamenia has the potential to be Jon Scheyer’s latest one-and-done player. The Studio City, Calif., native boasts a variety of honors including McDonald’s All-American and FIBA 3×3 U18 World Cup MVP. At just 18, Khamenia has represented the United States three times in FIBA competition, winning gold in each instance. These accolades, however, only tell part of his story.
The 6-foot-8 forward has known basketball since before he could even dribble. His father, Val, played basketball for George Washington University, then returned to his native Belarus to compete in the pro leagues. On the Brotherhood Podcast, Khamenia mentions watching the 1996 cult classic “Space Jam” every morning before pre-school.
Now the latest elite recruit of the Scheyer era, Khamenia excels at putting himself and his teammates in position to score anywhere on the court. In this respect, Duke fans will likely see him play unselfishly, similar to the 2024-2025 Blue Devil squad.
In this clip, Khamenia, wearing number 14, showcases his adaptability and quick-thinking after being double-teamed in the paint. He remains aware of the floor, finding a teammate in the wings and repositioning to space outside of the arc. His strong 3-point shooting ability is also of note, as he receives the pass and scores a triple:
While Khamenia is gifted at recognizing where he needs to be, he often lacks the strength and physicality to get into position in the paint, a trait that can be exploited by more athletic collegiate opponents. As a result, he occasionally hesitates on the defense, overpowered against larger opponents. Here, Isaiah Evans passes over the top to Cam Boozer in the paint, but with Khamenia and Sebastian Wilkins doubling Evans, Khamenia fails to steal the ball out of the air and finds himself out of position on Boozer in the paint:
Where Khamenia may struggle with strength, he makes up for in speed. He plays quick in transition; here he gets out in front of the ball to receive a Wilkins pass at the 3-point line, pulling quick in front of Evans, whose close-out is well behind the perfect arc of Khamenia’s shot that could remind Duke fans of Jared McCain’s:
In addition to his prowess outside the paint, the new Blue Devil is just as comfortable closer to the rim. Khamenia plays with versatility that stems from his ability to think on his feet, and while he has yet to be tested in the collegiate circuit, he can generally produce offense no matter his position. Faced with three defenders, Khamenia uses his speed and IQ to maneuver just inside the paint for a better shot:
Amidst a stacked roster, Khamenia will likely see playing time coming off of the bench. With improved physicality, however, his height and agility may move him into the starting five by mid-season. He may prove to be a valuable asset for Duke in mid-to-late game situations, when stamina has been worn out and playmaking rules the game over pure strength.
