Duke basketball head coach Jon Scheyer extended an offer to Harvard-Westlake School (Calif.) senior Nikolas Khamenia in June and welcomed the top-shelf stretch-four to campus for an official visit in September. Along the way, the Blue Devils landed in the top five that Khamenia named in August, including Gonzaga, UCLA, Arizona, and archrival UNC.
ALSO READ: Former Duke Forward Jalen Johnson Strikes It Rich in Atlanta
Plus, Duke survived another round of cuts this week. According to a Monday report from 247Sports’ Adam Finkelstein, who is set to host Khamenia’s livestreamed announcement at 5:30 p.m. ET Tuesday, the 6-foot-8, 210-pound sensation is now down to a final three of Duke, UCLA, and Gonzaga.
Evidently, he’s eliminated Arizona and UNC from contention.
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
But Scheyer and his powerhouse recruiting team have looked like longshots to land Khamenia, No. 27 overall on the 247Sports 2025 Composite, ever since Columbus High School (Fla.) five-star forward Cameron Boozer, sitting No. 2 in the cycle, and his twin brother, five-star point guard Cayden Boozer, announced their commitments to the Blue Devils on Oct. 11.
Gonzaga probably doesn’t like its chances either.
No, by late Monday afternoon, within a few hours of Finkelstein revealing Khamenia’s decision time, the first four predictions surfaced between the 247Sports Crystal Ball, On3 Recruiting Prediction Machine, and Rivals FutureCast. All four forecast the home-state Bruins to win the high-profile sweepstakes.
Even so, Duke basketball’s inclusion in Nikolas Khamenia’s top three is an apparent sign of appreciation and respect.
RELATED: Twin Blue Devil Pledges Fall to Top-Ranked Prospect
Stay tuned to Duke Blue Devils On SI for more Duke basketball news.
