What Patrick Ngongba provides for Duke basketball’s 2024 recruiting class
Duke basketball coach Jon Scheyer is getting a different kind of recruit in Patrick Ngongba II.
Ngongba, the latest addition to the Blue Devils’ top-ranked 2024 recruiting class, announced his commitment to Duke on Saturday afternoon via the 247Sports YouTube channel.
The 6-foot-11, 235-pound center gives Scheyer a center to join top-ranked recruit Cooper Flagg and a trio of players – Kon Knueppel, Darren Harris and Isaiah Evans – known for their ability to knock down shots.
Ngongba is the 25th-ranked overall prospect in the nation and a top-5 center according to 247Sports’ Composite rankings. He chose the Blue Devils over Kentucky and Kansas State.
Patrick Ngongba’s fit with Cooper Flagg, other Duke basketball recruits
A player at Paul VI Catholic High School, which produced Trevor Keels and current Duke captain Jeremy Roach, Ngongba led Team Takeover to a championship at Peach Jam to highlight his Nike EYBL season.
He averaged 12.7 points – knocking down 70% of his shots – 7.8 rebounds and 19.8 minutes per game. In late May, Ngongba exploded for 33 points, 18 rebounds and five assists on the NYBL circuit. Because of his success on that circuit, he went from just inside the top 100 to a top-25 recruit.
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Ngongba joined Cooper Flagg and other Duke basketball recruits, including five-star wing VJ Edgecombe, at Countdown to Craziness in late October. With Ngongba's commitment, the Blue Devils have insurance if Kyle Filipowski and Mark Mitchell decide to enter the 2024 NBA Draft.
Either way, Ngongba will arrive at Duke with a chance to provide an instant impact on the interior and away from the basket as a versatile big man. Dereck Lively II and Mark Williams are the most recent centers to thrive at Duke. Both of those players were first-round picks in the NBA Draft.
Staff writer Rodd Baxley can be reached at rbaxley@fayobserver.com or @RoddBaxley on X/Twitter.
This article originally appeared on The Fayetteville Observer: What Patrick Ngongba brings to Duke basketball’s 2024 recruiting class
