Why This Duke Returner Could Become ACC POTY

Jon Scheyer has done an outstanding job in his four years as Duke’s head coach. While a National Championship has not yet come, guiding the program to a Final Four appearance and producing back-to-back National Players of the Year as freshmen is a remarkable achievement by any measure.

Now Scheyer has pulled off one of the biggest offseason moves in college basketball. Patrick Ngongba, once viewed as a likely first-round NBA Draft pick, has decided to return to Duke for his junior season. With his return, Ngongba immediately becomes one of the frontrunners for Preseason ACC Player of the Year and a legitimate candidate to win the award outright.

Feb 16, 2026; Durham, North Carolina, USA; Duke Blue Devils center Patrick Ngongba II (21) brings the ball around Syracuse Orange forward William Kyle (42) during the during the second half at Cameron Indoor Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Zachary Taft-Imagn Images | Zachary Taft-Imagn Images

Ngongba’s Journey at Duke

As a freshman, Ngongba found himself behind future first-round pick Khaman Maluach in the depth chart and had limited opportunities to establish himself as a starter. He also sat behind Maliq Brown and Mason Gillis in the rotation, averaging just four points in 10 minutes per game. Even so, he showed enough promise to be identified as a potential first-round pick if he could take the next step in his development.

Mar 21, 2026; Greenville, SC, USA; Texas Christian University Horned Frogs guard Liutauras Lelevicius (3) atempts to block a shot by Duke Blue Devils center Patrick Ngongba (21) during the first half during a second round game of the men’s 2026 NCAA Tournament at Bon Secours Wellness Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

Last season, Ngongba got that opportunity. Installed as the starting center, he made the most of his expanded role, doubling his minutes to 21 per game. He averaged just over 10 points per game on 60% shooting from the field, pulled down nearly six rebounds per contest, and…

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Publish date : 2026-05-04 10:00:00

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