Patrick Ngongba II returning to Duke for junior season
Duke is getting a major returner to its 2026-2027 roster as Patrick Ngongba II will return for his junior season in Durham.
Ngongba started 28 games for the Blue Devils this season, averaging nearly 22 minutes a game.
The Manassas, Va., native was a solid contributor on both ends of the floor during the Blue Devils’ season. He averaged 10.1 points, 5.8 rebounds, 2.0 assists and shot 60.6% from the floor.
Ngongba missed five games late in the season with a foot injury. He played 13, 16 and 22 minutes in Duke’s last three games of the NCAA Tournament, respectively.
He was still able to make a big impact after his injury, as coach Jon Scheyer was very impressed with Ngongba.
“He’s the first player to ever come into a game off a scooter and have plus-20 in the plus-minus category.” Scheyer joked after Ngongba’s stellar performance in just 13 minutes against TCU in the NCAA Tournament.
Ngongba had a handful NBA mock drafts with him selected in the late first round, but ultimately he has decided to return to the Blue Devils as they load up for the upcoming season.
