Duke’s Rising Hope: Jon Scheyer Scores Major Win as Former Five-Star Patrick Ngongba Stays Put
In a college basketball landscape that’s constantly shifting thanks to early NBA declarations and the ever-chaotic transfer portal, Duke head coach Jon Scheyer just got the kind of news that could reignite national title hopes in Durham.
After a 35-4 season that saw the Blue Devils come agonizingly close to cutting down nets, the team suffered a trio of high-profile losses. Cooper Flagg, Kon Knueppel, and Tyrese Proctor — all key pillars of Duke’s 2024 campaign — declared for the 2025 NBA Draft, leaving some fans wondering what the team’s future might hold. But just as uncertainty began to cloud the horizon, a much-needed ray of hope broke through.
That light came in the form of Patrick Ngongba.
On Wednesday, Duke’s official social media account confirmed that Ngongba — one of the top recruits in the 2024 class — is returning to the Blue Devils for his sophomore season. It’s a crucial piece of the puzzle for a program trying to retool quickly and stay at the top of the college basketball food chain.
A former five-star prospect, Ngongba was ranked the No. 6 center and No. 26 overall player nationally by the 247Sports composite. The 6-foot-11 standout chose Duke over a gauntlet of elite suitors, including Kentucky, Kansas, UConn, Indiana, and Notre Dame. His commitment was a major recruiting win for Scheyer, and now, keeping him is an even bigger one.
Ngongba joined Duke alongside a blockbuster 2024 recruiting class that also featured the likes of Flagg, Knueppel, Khaman Maluach, Isaiah Evans, and Darren Harris. While Flagg and Knueppel are now NBA-bound, Ngongba’s return gives Duke a critical frontcourt presence who can anchor both ends of the court as Scheyer reshapes his lineup.
Perhaps just as important, Duke emerged from the transfer portal deadline without a single departure. In an era where player movement is as common as buzzer-beaters, that’s a feat in itself — and a testament to the program’s culture and the belief these young athletes have in their coach.
With Ngongba staying and no unexpected exits, the foundation for another deep March run is quietly but powerfully being laid. Duke fans have reason to believe again — and Jon Scheyer just got his biggest offseason win yet.