For the second-straight year, Duke basketball brought in the nation’s top-rated recruiting class.
While the Blue Devils’ 2025 class consists on top prospects, international stars and ESPY award winners, the transition to college basketball is easier for some than others.
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So how are the newcomers transitioning to the college game? Here’s what Cameron Boozer, Cayden Boozer, Nikolas Khamenia, Dame Sarr and Sebastian Wilkins had to say about joining the Blue Devils.
Boozer brothers’ transition from high school champions to college rookies
Twin brothers Cameron and Cayden Boozer come to Duke with four consecutive high school state championships, capped off with a national championship. Still, the transition to college basketball has been challenging, but nothing they weren’t ready for.
“The game’s way faster, the game’s more physical, and obviously, here at Duke, you’re playing against the best players every day in practice,” Cayden said. “I’ve definitely had a welcome to Duke moment where you just have a really bad day, but you just keep bouncing back. And you know that this is the reason you came here. So it’s been a dream to really be here and just experience all the practices and all the things that come with Duke.”
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Cameron, who won a 2025 ESPY for as the Gatorade Player of the Year across all male high school sports, said the transition has gone smoothly.
“I think I was ready coming to college,” he said. “Obviously, there’s been some days that are hard, but I think everyone goes through that when they first get to college. But it’s been super great.
I think this is the best team I’ve ever played on, I know it is. And competing every day, sometimes you have tough moments. But we had a great squad. I’m super excited for the season.”
Early morning wake-up calls for Nikolas Khamenia
Nikolas Khamenia’s “welcome to Duke” moment was his second practice back in Durham after playing for Team USA at the 2025 FIBA U19 Men’s World Cup in Switzerland. It was an early morning practice, with the 6-foot-8, 215-pound guard/forward still getting used to being back on home soil.
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“I was still getting adjusted to the time from sleeping in Switzerland and coming back to the U.S.,” Khamenia said. “That was definitely my toughest practice where I realized like ‘Yo Nick, you really gotta wake up.'”
That wake-up call aside, Khamenia said settling into life and basketball at Duke has gone well.
“It’s been super great,” he said. “Obviously you know as a freshman you’re gonna hit bumps and there’s gonna be good days, bad days, but I just think keeping the same mentality every day and just trying to attack one thing at a time is gonna help me overcome those.”
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From FC Barcelona to Duke for Dame Sarr
Dame Sarr, an Oderzo, Italy native, comes to Duke after spending time playing professionally for FC Barcelona. The 6-foot-8, 190-pound guard/forward has emerged as one of Duke’s better defenders per associate head coach Emanuel Dildy, with perhaps his biggest transition coming on the offensive side of the ball.
“The game is a little different,” Dildy said. “You know, in his first step, the way you have to put the ball down first over there, he loves to play off one foot with the Euro step and all that stuff. And we’re really, really pounding home him playing off two feet.”
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While challenging at first, Sarr has progressed well.
“It’s actually been pretty hard at the beginning, you know, just to get adjusted to the physicality also,” he said. “But now I’m starting to pick it up just to play off of two feet, to play strong, with the ball strong and just finish off two feet and finish strong against the defense. So it’s been a great for my development.”
“A smooth process” for lifelong Duke fan Sebastian Wilkins
Sebastian Wilkins is the youngest member of Duke’s 2025 squad, having reclassified from the 2026 class. Despite his age, the transition to the college game has been smooth for the 6-foot-8, 220-pound guard/forward.
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“There’s always going to be difficulties and stuff, but being here at Duke, along with all the freshmen and the returning guys, it’s been a smooth process,” Wilkins said. “Got a great group of guys, great coaches. And they really help me even when I’m struggling. So they really help me continue to strive to get better.”
Being a lifelong Blue Devil fan has made the experience even more special.
“I remember watching games when Zion was here, especially, definitely helped me become a big fan,” Wilkins said. “It’s always been a dream of mine to be here, so it’s really honoring to be here. Put in a lot of work to get here.”
Anna Snyder covers Duke for The Fayetteville Observer as part of the USA TODAY Network. Reach her at asnyder@gannett.com or follow her @annaesnydr on X, formerly known as Twitter.
This article originally appeared on The Fayetteville Observer: Duke basketball’s freshmen adjusting to college game
