As Duke basketball fans continue to wait for the upcoming season, the Blue Zone is here to break down film from the new additions to both the men’s and women’s teams. We’ve already seen Kon Kneuppel. Next up is Patrick Ngongba II:
Ngongba, the second-tallest recruit in Duke men’s basketball’s incoming freshman class, looks to provide some depth at the center position that was seriously lacking in the 2023-24 season. Ranked as the 25th-best prospect in the 2024 class by ESPN, he can help bolster a title-hungry Duke squad with his dynamic offensive skill set.
Trying to pinpoint a trait that Ngongba is “best” at proves difficult, as the Fairfax, Va., native has all the indicators of a versatile big, increasingly more important in today’s “positionless” era of basketball. For one, Ngongba’s great footwork boosts his scoring in the low post. Watch as he completely wraps around his defender with a few hesitation moves for a layup:
His scoring isn’t just limited to under the basket, as the 6-foot-11 freshman has displayed flashes of shooting ability beyond the post and even outside the arc. Watch as Ngongba buries one from deep while drawing a foul and the shock of the crowd:
So how has Ngongba’s scoring versatility translated into hard numbers? During his summer 2023 stint on the EYBL circuit, Ngongba shot 70% from the floor, showing he can be a highly efficient player for the Blue Devils during the 2024-25 season. As a testament to his ability to work within a system, watch him perfectly execute a pick-and-roll for the easy floater:
While Ngongba’s offensive strengths are readily apparent, he sometimes shows inconsistencies in physicality. On this defensive possession, he elects to avoid contesting with much force while possibly reacting a touch too late to the cutter. That said, he also manages to avoid fouling in the process:
A later possession during this contest proved better on the defensive end for Ngongba. After future Duke teammate Darren Harris loses his man, Ngongba acts perfectly as a help defender with a firm rejection off the glass:
All of these highlights certainly bode well for Ngongba’s freshman season. However, he suffered a broken bone in his foot last year, which caused him to miss nearly all of his high school senior season. While medically cleared to return as shown by his outing in the FIBA AmeriCup in June, he may need extra time to adjust to the college level post-injury. In any case, Ngongba figures to be a strong rotational big man for the Blue Devils as they aim to bring home another title this season.
Get The Chronicle straight to your inbox
Signup for our weekly newsletter. Cancel at any time.