Projected Duke Starting Five After Ngongba Announces Return

Duke basketball's offseason has begun after a heartbreaking Elite Eight loss to UConn. What looked like a certain trip to the Final Four turned into a nightmare, as the Huskies overcame a 19-point deficit and won on a Braylon Mullins logo three at the buzzer.

Next year's roster will likely look significantly different. Cameron Boozer projects as a top-three pick in the NBA Draft, and Isaiah Evans could hear his name called in the first round as well. Duke has also had players, including Darren Harris and Nikolas Khamenia, both enter the transfer portal and already find new teams, in Indiana and UConn, respectively.

However, Duke has received major news that center Patrick Ngongba would return for his junior season. Ngongba was a projected first-round pick, and having him back puts the Blue Devils back into national championship contention.

My colleague Hugh released his projected starting lineup a few weeks ago. However, with the news of Ngongba coming back, we won't have to worry about having a transfer at center for the Blue Devils.

PG: Caleb Foster (Sr.)

Caleb Foster dealt with injuries down the stretch of this season. After a solid return against St. John's in the Sweet 16 with 11 points off the bench, he struggled against UConn, finishing with zero points and three turnovers.

Despite that difficult ending, Foster has the motivation to finish his career as a Blue Devil on a high note. He is a strong shooter and defender who has grown into a more complete point guard as the season progressed. With his shooting and defensive ability, Foster has the tools to be one of the better guards in college basketball next season.

SG: Deron Rippey Jr. (Fr.)

Hear me out on this one. Rippey is listed at 6-foot-1 according to Rivals, which may raise eyebrows at the shooting guard spot, but his scoring ability makes the fit work. After watching him play, he is a capable facilitator, but the better use of both players is to keep Foster at point guard and slide Rippey to the two guard.

Rippey is someone who can create his own shot off the dribble, averaging 16.8 points per game his senior year at Blair Academy. Being undersized, it makes sense for him to guard the opposing point guard on defense, while operating as a scoring two guard on offense.

SF: Dame Sarr (So.)

Dame Sarr entered this season as a projected first-round pick in the upcoming NBA Draft. While he showed flashes of his potential, he did not fully live up to the high expectations placed on him.

Another year at Duke could be very beneficial for his development and his draft stock. At 6-foot-8, Sarr is a strong perimeter defender with the offensive tools to take a significant step forward with another year in the system.

PF: Cameron Williams (Fr.)

Williams is the crown jewel of Duke's 2026 recruiting class. At 6-foot-11 and ranked second overall in his class according to 247Sports, he can do a little bit of everything, including scoring, shooting, rebounding, finding open teammates, and blocking shots. He is also an excellent transition runner who can make an impact on the fast break.

While Williams does not arrive with the same level of hype that surrounded Cameron Boozer or Cooper Flagg, he has an exceptionally high ceiling and is already projected as a potential top pick in next year's NBA Draft.

C: Patrick Ngongba (Jr.)

Patrick Ngongba was a projected first-round pick, but decided to come back as next year's draft is looked at as a weaker class, and he could be a higher draft pick. Ngongba coming back gives the Blue Devils one of the best shot-blocking bigs in the country, as well as a great lob threat.

With Flory Bidunga heading to Louisville, having Ngongba back gives the Blue Devils a much-needed anchor down low, as well as an amazing matchup between arguably the two best big men in the country.

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