The Duke Basketball Returner Under Most Pressure Next Season

Head coach Jon Scheyer and the rest of the Duke basketball staff have as championship-ready a squad as he has had since he took over at the helm.

The Blue Devils are likely entering the 2026-27 season as the deepest team in college basketball, with a perfect mix of continuity, veteran leadership, and young talent priming the program for a deep postseason run.

Mar 26, 2026; Washington, DC, USA; Duke Blue Devils head coach Jon Scheyer shoots a ball during a practice session ahead of the east regional of the men’s 2026 NCAA Tournament at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images | Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

Duke fans typically aren’t used to seeing this much of a rotation come back for another season, as Scheyer and Co. retained four of their top six scorers from a season ago, including three starters.

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These key returners, such as Dame Sarr, Patrick Ngongba, Caleb Foster, and Cayden Boozer, will all be major contributors in the rotation next season. However, there’s one veteran who is under the most pressure.

Mar 29, 2026; Washington, DC, USA; UConn Huskies forward Tarris Reed Jr. (5) rebounds the ball between Duke Blue Devils forward Cameron Boozer (12) and Blue Devils center Patrick Ngongba (21) during an Elite Eight game of the East Regional of the men’s 2026 NCAA Tournament at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images | Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

Patrick Ngongba Under the Most Pressure Among Duke Basketball Returners

Patrick Ngongba was the biggest breakout candidate on the roster last season. The 6’11” center went from averaging 3.9 points and 2.7 rebounds a night as a freshman to 10.1 points, 5.8 rebounds, 2.0 assists, and 1.1 blocks a night on 60.6% shooting from the field

The North Carolina native became a reliable passer out of pick-and-roll situations and got much better at using his body and feet around the basket. He enters his junior season in Durham as the clear defensive anchor down low for the Blue Devils.

In 2025-26, Ngongba was…

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Publish date : 2026-06-04 13:00:00

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