Duke announced Monday that center Patrick Ngongba II will return for the 2026-27 season.
Ngonba finished as the Blue Devils' third-leading scorer in 2025-26, averaging 10.1 points to go with 5.8 rebounds, 2.0 assists, and 1.1 blocks.
The 6-foot-11 Ngonba will remain at Duke despite being projected as a first-round pick in the 2026 NBA Draft.
BIG PAT. BIG BACK. 👿 @NgongbaPatrick pic.twitter.com/9233Y9LtXk
— Duke Men’s Basketball (@DukeMBB) April 20, 2026
Injuries limited Ngongba late in the campaign, causing him to miss the Blue Devils' ACC Tournament run and NCAA Tournament opener. However, he came off the bench in the last three games before Duke's Elite Eight exit.
A highly touted prospect out of high school, Ngongba rehabbed a foot injury prior to his freshman 2024-25 season. He primarily served as a weapon off the bench during his debut campaign, averaging 3.9 points and 1.0 rebounds in 30 games.
The 20-year-old center will be joined in the frontcourt by Belmont transfer Drew Scharnowski, who committed to the program on Sunday. Guard Cayden Boozer also recently announced his return for next season.
