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UNC Basketball: Duke Enters Mix for Another Tar Heel Target

Kentucky is now the only bonafide blueblood not in full pursuit of potential UNC basketball recruiting prize Nikolas Khamenia.

Matt Giles

UNC basketball head coach Hubert Davis versus Duke
UNC basketball head coach Hubert Davis versus Duke / Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports
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UNC basketball head coach Hubert Davis and his staff extended an offer to Harvard-Westlake School (Calif.) forward Nikolas Khamenia on May 20. The 6-foot-8, 210-pound four-star was already on the wishlist of Kansas and UCLA.

So, Duke and Kentucky were the widely recognized bluebloods missing from Khamenia's growing recruitment.

That said, first-year Wildcats head coach Mark Pope has been showing significant interest of late. Meanwhile, on Saturday night, the stretch-four talent revealed on social media that Jon Scheyer and his Blue Devils have officially joined the battle via an offer of their own.

Six months ago, Nikolas Khamenia sat at No. 59 overall on the 247Sports 2025 Composite and boasted only a handful of high-major offers.

Now, after soaring and sizzling in grassroot action this spring and for the USA Basketball U18 National Team at the FIBA U18 AmeriCup in Buenos Aires earlier this month, the 17-year-old ranks No. 30 among his peers. He sure appears to be knocking on the door for a fifth star by his name.

And in the past six weeks alone since landing an offer from Hubert Davis, he's reported new offers from Michigan, Oregon, Louisville, Notre Dame, Arizona, Creighton, Ohio State, and his latest from Duke.

Last week, 10 days after the Tar Heels made Sidwell Friends School (Washington, D.C.) four-star Acaden Lewis a top priority in the 2025 arena, Scheyer's Blue Devils followed suit with their offer to the guard.

Lewis and Khamenia are two of the 15 undecided rising high school seniors who have received a UNC basketball offer and have not formally eliminated the Tar Heels from contention.

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Matt Giles
MATT GILES

Matt Giles is the editor and publisher of North Carolina Tar Heels on SI, Duke Blue Devils on SI, and NC State Wolfpack on SI, making him a key source for comprehensive coverage of these storied college basketball programs. Since joining UNC on SI in 2023, Matt has been dedicated to providing in-depth analysis, breaking news, and exclusive content on all three teams. He covers everything from game previews and recaps to player profiles and recruiting updates. Matt's expert knowledge of these teams has made his work a go-to resource for fans and followers of Duke, NC State, and UNC. As publisher, he shapes the editorial direction, ensuring that the most relevant and timely information reaches his audience.

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