Duke Blue Devils get potential reverse Nikolas Khamenia transfer rumor

Duke Blue Devils get potential reverse Nikolas Khamenia transfer rumor originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

Nikolas Khamenia is in the transfer portal, planning on going somewhere new after being a Duke Blue Devils five-star freshman this past season.

What if the door is still open for a return?

That's what the Locked On Blue Devils podcast discussed this week:

It's not necessarily an easy outcome in the transfer portal era. Once Khamenia enters the portal, Duke likely looks to replace him with an incoming transfer.

Still, he hasn't latched on quickly, which has some wondering if his portal time isn't going as well as he hoped.

He has previously been linked by multiple people to Arizona.

"Nikolas Khamenia to Arizona makes a ton of sense on paper," CBS Sports writer Cameron Salerno wrote on X. "Tommy Lloyd coached him last summer on the U19 team + he has ties to the West Coast. He also addresses a need for Arizona: shooting. Definitely a breakout candidate next season in the right situation."

Wherever he ends up, Khamenia could certainly make an impact.

The 6-foot-8 wing has athleticism and shooting talent, and he averaged 5.7 points per game in his freshman season with the Blue Devils while playing maybe fewer minutes than he would've expected.

"Nik Khamenia started the year as a projected first-round pick on my draft board," ESPN's Jonathan Givony writes, "and I fully expect him to be back there. He's going to drive winning next year with his combination of connective passing, toughness, skill and improving shot-making. Turned 19 in late December."

Maybe it'll be back with Duke. That doesn't seem to be the favored outcome, but it appears to be an actual possibility.

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