Duke center Patrick Ngongba returning for next season

duke beginning center Patrick Ngongba II is returning to the Blue Devils next season, I have announced Monday.

Ngongba was projected as a borderline first-round decide in June’s NBA draft however will decide to go again to varsity as an alternative.

A 6-foot-11 sophomore, Ngongba earned honorable point out All-ACC honors final season after averaging 10.1 factors, 5.8 rebounds and a pair of.0 assists. He was some of the improved gamers within the convention and was an anchor for one of many nation’s elite defensive items.

Ngongba ranked within the high 15 within the league in offensive score, offensive rebound and defensive rebound charge, block proportion and fouls drawn per 40 minutes, based on KenPom.

He was at his finest down the stretch of the common season, scoring in double figures in 5 straight video games earlier than struggling a foot harm that stored him out of the ACC event and the primary spherical of the NCAA event. He wasn’t absolutely wholesome upon returning, coming off the bench in every of Duke’s ultimate three event video games.

With Ngongba again, Jon Scheyer is now anticipated to return at the least three key items from a workforce that earned the general No. 1 seed within the NCAA event. Freshman guard Cayden Boozer introduced his return final week, whereas Caleb Foster additionally seems trending towards a return. There’s optimism that freshman Dame Sarr may also come again to Durham as an alternative of getting into the NBA draft.

Duke welcomes the nation’s No. 1 recruiting class, a gaggle headlined by three top-25 recruits: Cameron Williams, Deron Rippey Jr. and Bryson Howard. On Sunday, the Blue Devils landed a dedication from Belmont switch Drew Scharnowskiwho averaged 10.7 factors final season.