Sloane Knows NEXT - Nik Khamenia on Duke Basketball, Spurs & Wemby, AAU lessons, NBA role models

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I'm Slow and this is Sloane Knows Next. We sit down with the future stars of tomorrow. Today's guest is Nick Kamenya, a four star recruit who recently just committed to Duke University. His journey of winning back to back States Titled with Harvard Westlake to winning a gold medal with Team USA and his dreams of playing in the NBA is a story you won't want to miss, all right, Nick,

I'm Nick Kamenya. I'm seventeen years old. As twenty twenty five, I go to Harvard West Lake and next year I'll be at Duke.

Congrats that's a big time Nick just committed, very excited. It's really cool to have him on. How old were you when you started to play basketball?

Really ever since?

I can remember just going to my dad's practices, So shoot, I think I really started picking it up when I was five six, Okay, just dribbling around, shooting Yeah.

Were you always taller than the other kids?

Yeah, all the time, all the time. How tall is your dad six eight and your mom six foot?

Wow? So you have tall gen didn't im assuming you guys are a basketball family.

Yeah, yeah, both my parents played okay in college.

Yeah, my mom went to a juco in Florida and my dad played at George Washington.

Oh wow, okay, cool, so it runs it's in your blood when you were growing up. Did you play any other sports or it was always just basketball?

No? Literally, it was basketball, basketball, basketball the whole time.

Oh so that's in your blood.

Lockdown.

Other than your parents, who was a you know, basketball idol for you growing up?

I mean I grew up watching a lot of basketballs just on the TV, just waking up and turning it on. It wasn't it of Disney Channel and never ok yeah it was none of that. I watched a lot of the Lakers.

Uh.

But I love the Spurs a lot growing up, especially when I first started understanding basketball.

They were like the team so like.

There was no connection to San Antonio. You just like like their style of play.

Yeah, they were just the best team when you grow up. Yeah, So like I kind of hopped in that bandwagon. Kawhi Leonard was like my favorite player.

So you still a Spurst fan?

Yeah?

Yeah, what do you think about Chris Paul joining the Spurs?

I mean he was at he was at the JT camp when I was there as well, and I know his son. Uh So, I mean Chris Paul is he's a good player, he's a good point guard. I mean he's already helped the Spurs so much he's being there.

So yeah, it's cool to see.

So I got the chance to interview you at Jason Tatum camp, like you just touched on, which is pretty cool that at seventeen, you've already had experiences where you've gotten to meet and play with NBA players. But I'm curious who was the first NBA player you ever met?

First NBA player I ever met?

That's a good quest, thank you. Uh oh, I mean my godfather used to be in the NBA.

Okay, that's that's one.

My godfather's Slava Medvedenko. Yeah, he's probably the first.

But I mean I went to Kobe's Jersey retirement and I met so many NBA players at that time, Mat Kobe that night, Magic Johnson, James Worthy, uh, Kareem.

Wow.

Yeah, yeah, that night was That's crazy. Yeah, that was the best one.

Is there a specific NBA player that you model your game after.

I would to say specific, but I just take bits and pieces. I think guys like Luka, Doncic and Jokic who kind of played the game a little slower and then defensively like Kawhi. Of course I know he hasn't played a whole bunch, but yeah, like guys that take defense as seriously as they do offense.

Try to model my game after that.

Yeah, like that mentality. Are there any comps that you've gotten, player comps that you've really liked?

I mean, I've heard Luca a couple of times. I mean that that's a good one to hear. Scary, Yeah, but I mean I like take it as a compliment that But at the same time, I just think I'm different than a lot of people.

Yeah. So yeah, yeah, it's important to differentiate yourself. I feel like that a lot.

What has been your most memorable basketball moment so far in your life?

Most memorable?

Uh, I'd probably say man won a lot of championships, so probably my first day championship. I felt like that was probably the best one because freshman year I didn't get a ton of playing time.

Yeah, you're a freshman a university.

Yeah, okay, So I mean losing my freshman year and then working that whole summer, spring, fall, even and then coming into the playoffs we started off a little rocky, but then reading Centennial, who was like the team at the time, and then winning that first day championship for the school as an open division was cool.

That was probably the best.

That's special.

Who have been the you know, top three best players that you played with so far in either high school.

Or a top three players? Uh, I probably go Trent Perry for sure. Oh man, I played with a lot of good.

Ones in the top five if you want even say as money as you.

Want, I want to probably top ten, but like go for it might as well.

Yeah, I probably go Trent, Robert Brady, joe Zay Johnson on my AU team, Peyton White, who else? Who else was I trying to miss?

Nobody? Robert Hinton, I say Robert already, No, I don't think you said him.

Robert Hinton. Jacob Huggins was good man, everybody I played with.

Everyone, Okay, everyone give a shout out to everyone. All right, So what is the biggest difference is that you've seen between playing a you and high school? Because there they're different games, you know, it's not the same thing.

I feel like AU you kind of learn how to play extremely tired.

You're playing.

How many games you play today?

I mean like sometimes two, sometimes one, but it can be like four in one weekend, which gets super tough a lot. But I mean, I just say high school is way more organized. You got a better feel for teams that you're playing against. You got a better feel for the teammates that you're playing with. In AU, you can only practice so much with everybody being there. But yeah, I mean it's it's it's a pretty big difference. But I've been looking lucky enough to play on AU team

Like, do you prefer a you or high school or it's the same for you.

No, I prefer high school for sure, just because you can prepare way more than you can for AU.

And I'm assuming going to school with those guys you can create like more of a special.

Yeah, and it helps a lot like chemistry is such a big piece of bath wall. If people don't understand, like people bring in transfer it's like it's season. It's hard to play together at that point. But if you have a whole season to build something, then forwards the end of the season, you guys are gonna be really good.

Yeah.

I mean you could call Harvard Westlake where you go at this point, almost like a high school powerhouse, right, winning so many state championships in the past couple of years, what do you think has been the key to your guys' success?

I mean exactly that, Like we've brought in two transfers in however many years that coach Wibo has been there. Yeah, and I mean we have really good coaching staff.

Yeah.

Who uh, they don't let us just do whatever. It don't matter who you are, what kind of player you are. And I mean we're just literally just a brotherhood, like we just put we're together all the time at school, Like, yeah, we'll be in a big circle like in the middle of the quad just talk exactly. We're just a family there.

Uh.

And a lot of people, a lot of places say they have that, but only so many people act like it.

So yeah, yeah, that's great. Okay.

So you know, obviously, like we said earlier, committed to Duke and you've had some pretty amazing offers as well.

What is What was it like?

You know when you were playing it, either AE or high school and you look over in the side and you see these guys sitting there in the Duke hats, the zagahats, and you're like, oh my gosh, like these scouts are there for me.

I mean, it's just different.

Like you grow up thinking about that kind of stuff, but you dream about it, but you never really think it's possible. You just work for it and not thinking anything of it. But when it really starts to happen, you're like, oh, shoot, like kach Shi, are really sitting right there watch my game right now? Like mm hmm, it really hits you, Like yeah, man, like these people really want me to come and play for them, like you only dream about playing at places like Duke.

Yeah.

Just I mean four years ago, I was probably watching the mal Invitational Zion R. J.

Berry is like, now that's gonna get it.

Yeah, you wouldn't even think about that, But I mean now having that shoot, not even having the opportunity but gonna go being committed there.

Yeah, that's it's really cool. We talked about this.

A little bit before we started filming, but I want to touch on it again. Whereas you know, I'm obviously not a D one basketball player like you are, but I was gonna say, if I was in your shoes, I feel like if I got that do Golfer, I'd be like, that's it, that's the one I'm going there.

What was that process like for you?

I mean, I feel like recruiting it starts like right before I think junior year, like when they can start calling you and whatnot. Yeah, so it's a really long process of phone calls and messages and meetings and visits. It takes a lot out of you, but it's also fun and it's a blessing that not a lot of people can experience. So you take the good and you appreciate that way more than you do the bad and the negative side of it. But I mean, it's super

You, it has a video, and I feel like for you, you know, I've I realized this with your Instagram. It was like all of a sudden, all these offers were pouring it, pouring it and pouring it.

How are you able to stay humble, stay grounded when you sort of your stock rose that much?

I mean I really just think it's my parents in just the base that they installed in me.

Yea, ever since I was young.

Shoot, my dad told me today, as soon as you think you've made it, that's when you start to fall off.

Wow.

So yeah, you just always got to keep working like it don't matter. It don't matter where you are at that certain point one second, it can be taken away for a mistake, for anything.

You start working hard.

So ultimately, my dream is to be in the NBA, So I'm not going to stop working until I get there.

Yeah, and this sort of ties into that as well. How have you been able to balance being a student and an athlete?

I mean, yeah, especially at Harvard Westley.

Yeah.

I was going to say that's hard.

Yeah, but I mean you kind of get used to it. But I mean you have the help from people and you just have to sacrifice a lot. Yeah, some weekends, Yeah, you might just be sitting at home doing homework. We're just going to the gym and then going back home to do homework. But I mean you learn how to do it.

Yeah. I mean it's good experience because like, eventually.

Ian you ready for the next level? Yeah, ultimately. Yeah.

So if I want to go watch Harvard Westlake play this year, what game would you suggest me or anyone listening goes to.

I mean, sure, you can go to all of them. Uh, the most fun, I'll probably say I've had the most fun playing in playoffs. Yeah, but in season, the league is always fun. Every single game is always fun. This year we got to play at the end of a dome, which is gonna be super cool.

So cool. Yeah, have you been there yet? No? I haven't.

I haven't either. I want to go so badly.

And you know, there's all the high school jerseys hung up on the wall from every single high school in California or in Los Angeles that.

It's insane, that's crazy senior jersey up there. It's cool.

That would be fine, that'd be fine.

So we touched on a little bit about your high school teammates. You know Trent Perry who goes to UCLA, and Robert Hinton who goes to Harvard and has been going off at Harvard, which has been.

Cool to see.

What was it like for you to a play with them, and then how have they helped you sort of you know, navigate your senior year and commitment and.

All of that.

I mean, I still I think I texted Trent and Robert yesterday because I know Trent played a good mind minus yesterday he did pretty solid. And Robert, of course, I think he just had back to back twenty five plus games. B I mean being able to play with those guys, like when you're in high school, they're just like your friends, like just regular guys, and then they're going off the big time D one schools and they're

Yeah, and talking about big times he wont schools. I want to like really get into Duke for a little bit here. How do you think your game fits in with Duke's playing style, especially with the Boozer Twins coming in.

I mean, I think they just have a lot of versatile guys and I think I'm literally just like that. Just being able to shoot, being able to pass, dribble, I mean yeah, I mean they played super hardy, they're super positive energy wise. I feel like I can do just that. I try to practice that every single day at Harvard Westlake right now. Yeah, talking to my teammates about the whole practice, talking on the court the entire time.

And can you walk us through your official visit? I love hearing about official visits. What was your favorite part of Durham?

Any good food?

Like?

What was that like?

No, my favorite part was actually when I got to play with them. Yeah, so we had did some runs and I got to play with Spencer Harberd, who actually went to Harvar west Slake I think two years or a year before I went there. Yeah, So I mean it was just super fun getting up and down in there. And I mean Durham is a it's a really nice place. It's pretty quiet, but you can tell that people really love Duke. Yeah, you can really tell that. But yeah, I mean it was super fun. Playing with them was

I've been to the Duke Dining Hall.

Since the Duke Dining Hall. Yeah, that's what a lot of people.

Talking about big back activities.

But that was my favorite part when I at what is one thing that you want the Cameron crazies, which is, you know, Duke's fan base to know about you, Nick Komena.

I mean, I'm gonna come in. I'm gonna give him my hall. I like to label myself as this guy that just likes to win. Yeah, that's about it.

Like I think they're gonna like that. They like to win.

Can you give us your Duke all time? Starting five. I'm putting you on the spot here. I know you like to.

Include a lot of people, but we need to be strict here and go with a five top five.

I'm gonna go Shire at.

The one, Wow the coach, Okay, JJ Ready at the two, Jason Tatum at the three, Christian Lander at the five. Just because of how good he did at Duke. I'll actually move Jayson Tatum down the four and I'll go Grant Hill at the three.

You're leaving out a lot of pretty good Duke players, huh, Kyrie, you know.

I mean there's so many Barritt but okay, JJ Reddick, what he did at Duke was different. Grant Hill won a national championship. Christian Laner win national championship. Jason Tatums Jason Tatum coach, head coach.

Julil okafor love, like, come on, you know.

There's just there's just so many going on there.

Yeah, all right, So I want to move on now to a little rapid fire section. So we got to go fast and ask you some questions really to get to know you.

So this is for the camera. Crazy is out there? Really to get to know do commit nick command yet? Okay? What is one aspect of your game that you're most proud of? And why?

Passing? I think is just different. I can make a lot of no look passes behind the back of pass.

Yeah, I like that.

What is your favorite school subject? None?

Math?

Really?

Yeah?

I hate math. I like history better.

Not a fan.

No?

Really? Are you good at math? Are you just?

Are you calculus?

Wow? Okay, I'm in pre.

Calcaryt now it's horrible. I just failed another test. It's really bad.

I hate it.

In the next five years, who is going to be the face of the NBA and why next five years?

Jason Tatum? He just won a national not national champions He just won an NBA championship. Celsa's are good. He's the best player on that team.

They see.

Who is an NBA player?

That is your dream to share the court with them?

I feel like, jok, he just make everybody better.

You want to be a nugget?

That'd be cool.

I like that. Who is your dream NBA player to play against.

Lebron?

Have you and Lebron played against each other on this wonderful Phoenix Melbourne court.

Who do you think would win? And what do you think the score would be?

Lebron would for sure win. I'm not evenna lie.

Like that.

Eleven eleven? My score ones and twos?

Sure?

Five points?

Wow, that's confident. I like it.

How many points do you think I would score if we one v one right now?

You?

Yeah?

Zero?

Well, you don't even know. I could be like so good?

Really no, I think because I'm gonna like I'm I'm like really shifty and I'm a really good defender. So I just like swat it out of your hands and then just like pull up and like I can do a little granny.

I'm really good at those. Like when you do it like that's the way. No, I'm telling you, like that's the thing. It's like it's a different type of game.

But I'm telling you like I'm gonna be What is your favorite clothing brand?

Essential is nice? Probably Essential?

Shout out excel to fects. You like your agencies. It's not really a brand, but he's aware. What is your go to cheat meal?

Go through cheat meal? I got a lot of those. I like pizza. I like sushi.

Yeah, it's sushi really a cheap I feel like that's like not that unhealthy.

Then I probably say, like an in and out Burger.

What's your favorite sushi restaurant in La.

Dude? There are some goings. There's I he in Studio City. There's a.

Fire like spices, you know, Chrispy Rice.

I mean I don't really do tuna like that.

Okay, No, that's like my I like, I love sushi, but I'm also a fake sushi person, Like I'm like, oh, I love Sushi's my favorite food. And then I get like cucumber cut roll and like at a moment, yeah, I'm fake.

What is your favorite fast food restaurant?

I'll go In and Out?

La boy, Yes, same.

I feel like In and OU's one of those things where it's like if you're from California, I've eaten it so much that I'm now sick.

It's probably just like I can't do it anymore. You're sick out like I'm not. Even the burgers are so like flat, like I need like something.

Don't want to fat burger that's gonna fall out like wa I do, though you don't.

I do. I want a juicy burger.

You know In and Out has a juicy burger, but you don't want your burger falling out the bun.

Well, but you can get like yeah no, okay, I hear you, and then you're.

Just gonnat me after having.

Sometimes when I go to In and Out, like I feel like they're not like really putting in love and my burger like it's just like.

Slap on every time I've had it out.

Felt the love you that's why you committed to do because the In and Out burgers that you were eating just like really sparked that like five in you they don't have it, Duke, No, say you think that's why evening though it's in and out Burgers has like made you that good of a basketball player that you can go to Duke.

I mean I wouldn't give credits in and out, but what you know?

Yeah? Wow, see look we're just getting monetizing all of that.

Great.

If you could go to dinner with anyone dead or alive, who would it be live?

Uh? Kobe Bryant.

It's the classic answer. I feel like everyone says.

That Kobe or Jordan for sure.

Who is your favorite non basketball athlete?

Favorite non basketball athlete? Good question, I'll go Patrick Mahomes football.

Okay, is that your second favorite sport?

I mean I will probably watch football the most out of all the other sports.

Do you play fantasy? No, you're just too walk in yea, that's what to play fantasy?

Okay. What is your favorite movie?

Favorite movie? Spajam the first one. I watched that like all the time.

Actually I like the second one. It gets too much hate. It's cute.

It's like second one is all right, you're a Jordan guy, Yeah, so that's why you like that.

Okay? What is your favorite TV.

Show watched a lot of All American during COVID, that's the one.

What is your favorite video game?

Uh? I really don't play video.

Games really, No two k nothing, no Fortnite, like rarely, you don't.

I can't if you don't play Fortnite.

I mean I probably played Fortnite a couple of days ago.

But okay, so lies, now we're getting this out of you. I don't play video games but a couple.

It might be like one every two months.

That's still like, I mean, that's more often than I play video games.

Yeah, but like when you say someone plays.

Videos, Okay, you're saying like you're not like in your house just like gaming every night.

I'm not play two games and I'm off for the next two months.

Really Okay, I need to keep track. I need to see if this is like a lie or not. If it's like actually two months, you wouldn't lie.

Okay. What is your favorite song?

Favorite song? Wait for You by Future?

What is your favorite ice cream flavor?

Cookies and cream from?

Where do you have like a certain place.

In la like not a certain place but brand to lamuk or whatever? Yeah?

Is that like a grocery store? Ice cream? That you can get like in the pines.

I think I think they're based out of organ or something.

You know, the whole thing. You must really like it. Yes, okay, I'm like a.

Cookie dough cookie does good.

Cookies and cream is like too heavy. I like cookie dough mint.

Chip, mint chocolate chip.

I think those are Yeah, is that the same thing? Mint chocolate chip mintchip? Probably right? Yeah, No, that's my favorite flavor. Okay. What is your favorite on.

The court sneaker Kobe's and what is your favorite off the court sneaker?

I wear a lot of Pumas, wear a lot of Pumas, but I mean New Bounce I like.

I like your shoes. I like New Bounce to I have those shoes all right. What is your go to emoji?

Probably like the crying emoji, but like the sideways one. Yeah, oh uh huh good one.

What is your favorite candy?

Favorite candy Skittles?

Did you dress up for Halloween?

I did? I was.

I was Simon Alvin and shimmucks really strong.

Did you trigger treat?

No? I didn't.

I'll get any Skittles, no, sad. Who is the most famous person in your contacts?

Ooh? Probably?

I mean oh, I mean coaches in there. Most famous person i'd probably say, like yeah, like PUSHI or somebody yeah probably yeah, nobody crazy.

I mean that's pretty cool. Who is your celebrity lookalike?

Celebrity look alike? I don't think I have one.

Really, no one's ever given you one.

No, I'm trying to see, like I asked this question, I should like come with like some research and like really like look at you and I need to like find it.

I'll let you know who I think figure it out. And what is your favorite podcast? Nick?

This one?

Yeah, obviously obviously you got to say Slow Nose is my favorite podcast?

Slow nos is my favorite, Poe.

Emphasize on favorite you like mumbled favorite me?

Slow is my favorite?

There we go, There we go. That's why I like to hear.

Okay, moving on, this is the next little rapid fire section. Okay, I am going to say a word, and you're gonna have to tell me an NBA player that you think connotate's with that word? You really like can think about it like that. I think I just used the word connotate wrong. I was trying to sound smart and it didn't work. But whatever, let's just pretend like it worked. Okay, Defense.

Kawhi, Leonard Iq, Luca Clutch, ooh Teth.

Selflessness, Jokic, Aura.

Shake, Gods, Alexander.

Agreed, veteran Lebron vision.

Luca instincts, jo Kic trip shake go Alexander good.

Okay. No, lastly, this is the yes or no section.

I'm going to tell you a claim, an NBA claim, and you're gonna have to tell me whether you agree or not.

Are you ready? M hmm? Okay.

The Cavs will say is a top three team in the East made wow? Okay, straight up?

No.

I mean they literally were beating the Warriors by forty points last night.

No, you think it's a fluke? Yeah, okay, why do you think it's fluke?

I mean, I mean they're doing pretty good right now.

They got two cars that I'll pass will. I just figured Celtis are going to be in there. M h Billy's gonna find a way to be in there.

Doesn't look that way right now.

Yeah, but they'll figure it out. Okay, somebody else will be.

Okay, Okay.

Joel Embiid will leave the Sixers this year? No, really, okay, expand on that.

I mean that's like his place, Like where else would he go, right.

But it doesn't seem to be working.

Well. He wouldn't even look right in anybody else's jersey though, I think so.

Yeah, you only see him in the city.

Okay, Wemby will get a quadruple double in his career, Yeah you think so?

How soon?

Probably like two years.

Yeah, he needs a little bit of time to develop.

Okay, The Thunder will win a chip in the next three years. Yeah, I feel like you're a shay guy.

I just think he's really good. But if you look at their team and how they act around each.

Other, yeah, yeah, sort of the way that you were saying, how Harvard West like has that community vibe.

You can really see it there. They're like really all right.

They're all together during the interview.

They're all friends totally.

If I was in your shoes and if someone asked me what NBA team I would hope to be on, it would definitely.

Be the Thunder.

Thunder.

I don't know, I just feel like.

This, yeah, all right. Next up, Jannis will stay a buck for his whole career.

I'm gonna say yeah, yeah, yeah, I agree.

And lastly, Jason Tatum win an m VP Award this season.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, he can do it.

Du guy m v P.

He's he's been playing well too.

Yes, yeah, I mean the Celtics are off to a good sort except for the Warriors beat.

Them, Lou You know words, all rights are pretty good.

They're really good, except for last night. I have no idea what happened, but Buddy.

Hill was literally the best that was.

Yeah, we did it was bad, all right, Nick, here's my last question. Can you please nominate the next guest that you think should be on Slow Nose?

Uh, I'll go, shoot, I'll go. I'll go to Zay Johnson from Campbell Hall.

Okay, great, yep.

What about Cooper Flag?

I mean, Coop probably gonna be getting ready for the league too.

You should call him up and be like, Coop, come on Slow Nose.

Yeah, I he should if he wants to do amazing.

Thank you.

Thanks for listening to this episode of Sloane nos Next, you can get links to my socials and see behind the scenes fun from Nick and I in the show notes, or just search at Sloan Nose on Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube.

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