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.

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 one of the most underrated impact defenders in college basketball. According to EvanMiya.com, Ngongba rated ninth nationally in Defensive Bayesian Performance Rating. The only Blue Devil with a higher DPBR than Ngongba was Cameron Boozer.

With much more depth in the frontcourt in 2026-27 for Duke with the additions of Drew Scharnowski and Joaquim Boumtje Boumtje, Ngongba will have the freedom down low to take on most defenders one-on-one. With his improved footwork and ability to finish around the rim, he has a chance to be one of the most productive two-way centers in the nation.

Mar 21, 2026; Greenville, SC, USA; Duke Blue Devils center Patrick Ngongba (21) loses the ball against Texas Christian University Horned Frogs forward David Punch (15) during the second 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

Why Ngongba Is Under Lots of Pressure

Ngongba will be a huge piece for Duke's rotation next season, mainly on the defensive side of the ball. However, the key to the junior big man reaching his ceiling is staying healthy, something he has struggled to do throughout his collegiate career thus far.

Ngongba missed nine games as a freshman and another six as a sophomore. Now, with more frontcourt depth this time around, his potential absence won't hinder the Blue Devils as much as it did last season, but what it could hinder is his NBA Draft stock.

Mar 26, 2026; Washington, DC, USA; Duke Blue Devils head coach Jon Scheyer speaks with the media during a press conference 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

Throughout his sophomore year, Ngongba played his way into being a projected first-round pick in the 2026 NBA Draft. Without even going through the pre-draft process, Ngongba elected to return to school.

Now, his NIL paycheck next season is likely higher than what his first-year NBA salary would've been as a late-first-rounder, but his health could pay major dividends in his future draft stock.

Mar 21, 2026; Greenville, SC, USA; Texas Christian University Horned Frogs guard Liutauras Lelevicius (3) drives to the basket against 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: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images | Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

The 2027 draft is viewed as significantly weaker than the 2026 class, paving the way for Ngongba to boost his stock further with an improved offensive game and continued rim-protecting and rebounding prowess. With his passing now a factor, he could cement himself as a top-20 pick.

Still, all of that revolves around his health, as an injury-riddled junior year could be damaging to his NBA outlook.

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