A top ACC associate head coach that is one of the recruiting coaches of all time just introduced me to the term “juice.” That phrase definitely applies to Nikolas Khamenia who is a rising junior at Harvard-Westlake.

The 6-8 small forward sensation has been a nationally sought after recruit these last few months. When you’re the juice it means you’re more than good or great or nice or any other regularly ascribed superlative.

It means you’re the elite of the elite of that 1% program-changing prospect like what Ja Morant was at Murray State or what my guy Paul Pierce was for Kansas back in the day. Yes, N-Khamenia is the “Truth’ like that.

Go see for yourself and you won’t argue after your eyes melt like mine did. He’s most def a future pro. 100.

When I saw Nik play for his Harvard Westlake team vs. Crossroads High I immediately felt he was the juice. He has this ultra clean jumper and an incredible economy of movement (wastes no time on the court).

He knows right where to go to get his own spots on offense, then sets picks and is in constant motion for others like a Steph Curry or Klay Thompson while not having the ball in his hands. Nik is a marvel to just sit there and watch!

As I watched him I predicted he will easily be that 5 star player, even though me personally I’m not into rankings as much as I’m interested in who gets offers from prestigious college basketball programs.

I saw in his game, in the glint of his hard working eye, a young strong man-child the makings of a player so dominant that he could rule his class through his skill and ability like few I had ever seen!

Then I got the call from my guy Robert Icart of BTI AAU to connect me to Nikolas and his dad. I’d heard glowing reports of a family so deep in love with the game, so true to the sport and I knew back in November that this could be the story of the year fosho for others to read about a rising star.

Like poet Langston Hughes says, “Reach up with your hand and just grab a star with your hand.” That’s what Nikolas is doing on the AAU and high school scenes as a soph.

The real story is in his immense humility and hard working nature to be sure. You sit and get to know N-Khamenia and you are completely blown away by his unpretentious nature. He’s just a good dude.

He lives by a creed that his dad Val lives by and has taught him, “We play basketball the way we live our lives. We need to be the best person we can be, then all the rest of life will follow beyond that.”

#incredible advice

It all started humbly for Nikolas when his Belarus dad emigrated to SoCal long ago and brought with him this fantastic work ethic and positive outlook on life. That’s the secret sauce as to why Nikolas cares so much about things in life.

I’ll let him explain, “It’s all about me and my siblings growing up in Portola Park where it all began and our need to pay respect to the lessons we were given. We were just given some simple ideals to live by: a simple golden rule of being humble to others and do to others what you want done to yourself as a human.

“My dad played ball growing up. Also, we owe a lot to our great mom Alena who showed us kids so much goodness coming from her Belarus roots as well. Since age two I’ve been playing hoop, and my dad didn’t have to force me to play. He just showed me how to love the game on my own terms.

“Some days I’d cry as a kid because the work was so hard. The lessons weren’t easy for a young player bent on on trying to be perfect. But to my dad’s credit, he let me work it out on my own and didn’t solve my problems for me. He trusted me to find my own solutions and my place on the court and in life. That my dad trusts me to handle my situations means a lot to me.”

#Nik will change the game

When I first talked to Nik I told him I was excited to link up and get to know him and to invest in his story.

I told him, me E-Woods a writer for 21 years has seen a lot of great players and I have a great feel for when they’re starting to warm up and get offers. I told him that my crystal ball told me early on that a few of college basketball most elite basketball programs would likely be offering.

And yes, Kansas, UCLA, Gonzaga, Stanford, California, and Nebraska, have now offered. Nik doesn’t take any offers for granted and appreciates anything that people do for him.

Me, E-Woods? I’m going to give him some SLAM gear because he’s such a great dude and I wished he had played for me back in the day. Let’s hear from him just a bit more on what he wants to get better on even though as he stands right now in my mind to be a top 10 recruit from the way he’s killing it out there on the scene.

Says Nik, “I work out 7 days a week, 6-7 hours a day to the point everyone around me tells me to cut down on the training. I want to train 24 hours a day really. I’m focusing on the weight room lately with my Harvard Westlake teammate Trent Perry.

“Our coach we work with at Harvard Westlake for strength is Jeff Crelling. The key word for me is versatility. At my size, getting better at my passing and dribbling is my goal for sure.

“I appreciate helping my dad with his summer camp of 6-7 year olds that come there. I help them with their skills. I like to mentor others when I get the time to give back. It’s important to share what you’ve been given in life and give all you can to a great academic situation like I feel lucky to have at Harvard Westlake.

“I appreciate my younger sister Lucia who I appreciate and spend time with. I’m always going to be there for her and my little brother Lukas too like my big sister Noelia was there for me. I just want to be that big bro for when people need me.

“The other people that mean a lot to me that I learn a lot from are coach Dave Rebibo from Harvard Westlake and all the assistant coaches there like Russell Payne, Alexander Nailes, and Alexander Lieu.”

“They’re there for me and my family along with Robert Icart of BTI who is such a positive influence and good person.”

Hear also the amazing quote from one of the very best boys coaches in all of America in Dave Rebibo as he details what he thinks, “Nik is a special talent who has it all. He is an incredible young man, worker, and teammate.

“He takes as much pride in his team’s and teammates’ success as he does his own. The sky is the limit for Nikolas and I am grateful to have a front row seat daily in seeing his development and growth.”

# amazing words

Who is Nik really? He’s the real deal because he sees that it takes constant improvement and grind to get where you want to in life and basketball. I see that incredible prep career for him in his junior and senior year like I did other former HW greats like Johnny Juzang who I knew so well. 100.

Here’s the in depth story I did on Johnny as an 8th grade where I predicted he’d go NBA, which he did to the Utah Jazz last year:

https://californiapreps.rivals.com/news/johnny-silk-juzang-humble-swag

I like to predict great college careers and it’s easy to do so here with Nik. He’s oozing with potential with a skill set predicated on a silky jumper and these long arms that never seem to get tired, ever evolving with new dimensions.

Dude is a dawg’s dawg in-game with his fierce defense and that team-first mindset that has helped Harvard Westlake to be a consistent Open Division leader and national powerhouse that was so highly ranked all season long last year while they played a national schedule.

Nik is this young man who is happy-go-lucky but like an adult in his own way of being. He’s most definitely an old soul that doesn’t mind being a role model to others on how to maximize one’s personal potential.

I have a real affinity for the Russell Westbrook “Why Not” mantra of why not me to be the next one up to the NBA? Yes the odds are usually stacked fantastically against the average person but not for someone like Nik Khamenia who creates his own luck through his endless work ethic, unbelievable attitude, and desire to make it all happen.

He’s the epitome of the ultimate poster of the Why Not mantra for me right now. Salute, salute Nik!

But that’s what I truly feel with Nikolas Khamenia. You see his fantastical work ethic philosophy about how to lead a great life imbued by his incredible parents that he shares with his siblings and it all makes sense.

Dude has next in the game of life. So Why Not for Nik to take over the rankings from the singular force of nature real one Robert Icart? Rob has helped develop guys like former NBA star Gilbert Arenas, NBA player Zaire Williams, and NFL player Drake London who got major offers for basketball while at Moorpark High.

I could go on and on about Rob’s other BTI alumni I’ve known so well like Mike Meadows who’s at Cal now, double M is my guy. Dexter Akanno is my close friend and is at Oregon State. And I’ve known since birth the upcoming star Malik Moore at Pepperdine.

Yes, Nik Khamenia is the real deal and truth, so buckle up people and grab some popcorn. Be ready for that wild roller coaster ride show he’s fixing to put on in the next couple years in Cali like few have.

Nik is “HIM, that guy!”