How Scharnowski and Ngongba Will Fit for Duke Next Season

The Duke basketball program, after a pretty quiet first week and a half of the NCAA Transfer Portal cycle, has heard some major decisions over the past few days.

There is still some uncertainty around the program and its roster for next season, but it now has much more clarity than it did 72 hours ago.

Mar 27, 2026; Washington, DC, USA; Duke Blue Devils head coach Jon Scheyer reacts in the first half during a Sweet Sixteen 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

Current Duke Offseason Moves

Thus far, the Blue Devils have lost sophomore Darren Harris and freshman Nik Khamenia to the portal, as the two have committed to Indiana and UConn, respectively. Additionally, Maliq Brown will be gone, as he has exhausted all of his collegiate eligibility, and Cameron Boozer will almost definitely declare for the 2026 NBA Draft.

Jon Scheyer and his staff brought in Belmont transfer forward Drew Scharnowski, who averaged 10.7 points, 6.0 rebounds, 2.6 assists, and 1.3 blocks per game for the Bruins this past season en route to earning All-Missouri Valley Conference First Team and MVC Defensive Player of the Year honors.

Belmont's Drew Scharnowski (11) and Isaiah West (3) guard Bradley's Jaquan Johnson in the first half of their college basketball game Monday, Feb. 9, 2026 at Carver Arena in Peoria. The Braves defeated the Bruins 95-84. | MATT DAYHOFF/JOURNAL STAR / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Over the weekend, freshman Cayden Boozer announced his return to Duke for a sophomore season. Then, in the most pivotal news thus far for the Blue Devils, sophomore center Patrick Ngongba announced his return to the program in 2026-27 on Monday.

With the addition of Scharnowski and Ngongba's return, Duke now boasts one of the best defensive frontcourts of any team in the sport.

Duke Blue Devils center Patrick Ngongba (21) passes around TCU Horned Frogs forward David Punch (15) March 21, 2026 during the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament second round East Region game at the Bon Secours Wellness Arena in Greenville, South Carolina. | Ken Ruinard / USA Today Network South Carolina / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

How Scharnowski and Ngongba Fit

Both Scharnowski and Ngongba are elite rim protectors. According to EvanMiya.com, Ngongba ranked ninth nationally this past season in Defensive Bayesian Performance Rating, which measures a player's defensive impact for his team when he is on the floor versus when he is not. Scharnowski's 39 blocked shots ranked fifth in the MVC.

Scheyer now has the ability to put two elite rim protectors that utilize physicality on the floor at the same time, giving the Blue Devils potential to boast one of the best defensive frontcourts in college basketball in 2026-27.

Mar 26, 2026; Washington, DC, USA; Duke Blue Devils head coach Jon Scheyer stands on the court 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 ranked third nationally in adjusted defensive efficiency and 18th nationally in two-point percentage defense in 2025-26, according to KenPom. Adding another stellar shot blocker to that mix is likely an upgrade.

Scharnowski may not be as versatile as Brown was for Duke last season, but at 6'9" and 230 pounds, the former Bruin plays with a violence that will complement Ngongba's shot-blocking instincts well.

Breaking: Patrick Ngongba II will return for his junior season at Duke, the school announced. pic.twitter.com/BoOpqxdt41
— ACC Network (@accnetwork) April 20, 2026

Offensively, the two are both great passers for bigs and can score around the rim with finesse. Their impact likely won't be felt as largely together on this side of the ball, but it will make a double-team very difficult for opponents on defense with 6'9" Scharnowski and 6'11" Ngongba on the floor at the same time.

In a portal where big men are scarce, Duke has added a major addition while retaining one of the best defensive bigs in the ACC from a season ago.

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