Ex-Duke forward Nikolas Khamenia is headed to the Basketball Capital of the World.
Nikolas Khamenia is moving from one blue blood to another, announcing Saturday that he has traded Duke blue for UConn blue.
He posted a UConn hype video on Instagram, proclaiming his arrival in the Basketball Capital of the World.
He will arrive in Storrs as a sophomore, having played one season at Duke. A Los Angeles native, Khamenia had a stellar career at Harvard-Westlake, leading the school to state championships in 2023 and 2024. 247Sports rated him as the No. 2 small forward in the nation and the No. 15 player overall in the Class of 2025.
A 6-foot-8, 215-pound wing player, Khamenia was a five-star recruit and a 2025 McDonald’s All-American.
He played in 38 games (five starts) for Duke and averaged 5.7 points, 3.3 rebounds and 1.0 assist.
Against UConn in the Elite Eight on March 29, won 73-72 by the Huskies, Khamenia scored seven points on 3-of-5 shooting in 22 minutes. It was the last game Khamenia would play for the Blue Devils.
Duke forward Nikolas Khamenia (14) rebounds the ball against Virginia during the men's Atantic Coast Conference Tournament in Charlotte, N.C., on March 14, 2026. Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn ImagesCould he be Karaban II?
For the first time since 2022, the Huskies will take the court without forward Alex Karaban this fall. Head coach Dan Hurley has said many times that he would never coach another player like Karaban, the heart and soul of the Huskies the past couple of seasons.
Khamenia might be able to do a fair impression.
As a freshman, Karaban was listed at 6-8, 210 pounds. Their size is similar, but so were their numbers.
Karaban was a starter who averaged 28.9 minutes per game as a freshman. Khamenia started five of 38 games for the Blue Devils, averaging 19.8 minutes. So the best way to compare the first college seasons of the two is to compare how their statistics translate to a full, 40-minute game.
UConn forward Alex Karaban (11) is defended by Michigan forward Will Tschetter (42) on April 6, 2026, during the NCAA Tournament championship game at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. Michigan won the title. Credit: Grace Hollars/IndyStar/USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images40-minute freshman stats
Alex Karaban
Points per game: 12.9
Rebounds per game: 6.2
Assists per game: 2.3
Field goal percentage: 47.6
3-point percentage: 40.2
Free throw percentage: 80.9
Steals per game: 0.7
Blocks per game: 1.0
Turnovers per game: 1.6
Nikolas Khamenia
Points per game: 11.6
Rebounds per game: 6.6
Assists per game: 2.1
Field goal percentage: 44.4
3-point percentage: 34.0
Free throw percentage: 67.3
Steals per game: 1.2
Blocks per game: 0.2
Turnovers per game: 1.6
Pretty darn close.
Roster update
Khamenia is the second transfer to head to Storrs, Conn.; former Seton Hall center Najai Hines also is on board.
Forward Jaylin Stewart, who has one season of eligibility remaining, entered the transfer portal on Friday. His transfer likely has to do with him wanting to go to a program where he can be a more featured part of the offense.
Silas Demary Jr. and Jayden Ross, who will be seniors, are returning to UConn, with Braylon Mullins and Solo Ball yet to announce their plans for next season. The roster also is adding blue-chip freshmen in Colben Landrew, a wing, and guard Junior County.
Centers Eric Reibe and Rrezon Elezaj, along with guards Jacob Furphy and Uron Paunovic, put their names in the portal.
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