Underrated Factor in Duke's Evans and Ngongba Potentially Returning

There's one factor in Evans' and Ngongba's decision that no one is talking about.

Mar 29, 2026; Washington, DC, USA; UConn Huskies guard Braylon Mullins (24) shoots the ball past Duke Blue Devils guard Isaiah Evans (3) in the second half during an Elite Eight game of the East Regional of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Amber Searls-Imagn Images | Amber Searls-Imagn Images

Duke basketball head coach Jon Scheyer and his staff are still waiting to hear from several key players from the 2025-26 squad about whether they will return to Durham, declare for the 2026 NBA Draft, or potentially enter the transfer portal.

Likely the two most important of those decisions will come from wing Isaiah Evans and center Patrick Ngongba, two starters from this past season's squad that went 35-3 and earned a 1-seed in the NCAA Tournament.

Duke Blue Devils head coach Jon Scheyer talks to a referee March 21, 2026 during the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament second round East Region game with TCU at the Bon Secours Wellness Arena in Greenville, South Carolina. | Ken Ruinard / USA Today Network South Carolina / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Both Evans and Ngongba are currently projected as late first-round picks if they were to declare for this summer's draft. Around that range, they would likely earn anywhere from $2 to $4 million on their NBA rookie salaries. There's a great chance that the paycheck would be higher if they returned to college basketball.

Mar 27, 2026; Washington, DC, USA;Duke Blue Devils guard Isaiah Evans (3) dribbles the ball past St. John's Red Storm guard Oziyah Sellers (4) 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: Amber Searls-Imagn Images | Amber Searls-Imagn Images

Isaiah Evans and Patrick Ngongba in Tough Spot

In this new NIL era of college sports, being a projected first-round pick in the NBA Draft is no longer a surefire explanation to declare. Especially for key contributors on a national title contender like Evans and Ngongba, the payday to return to college could be much more enticing.

In 2025-26, Ngongba was arguably Duke's biggest breakout candidate. After averaging 3.9 points and 2.7 rebounds in 10.6 minutes as a rookie, those numbers soared to 10.1 points, 5.8 rebounds, 2.0 assists, and 1.1 blocks a night on 60.6% shooting from the field.

Mar 26, 2026; Washington, DC, USA; Duke Blue Devils center Patrick Ngongba (21) dribbles 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

Evans established himself as one of the most confident shooters in college basketball and, despite being hot and cold at times, showed flashes of being one of the best shooters in the nation. The 6'6" wing averaged 15.0 points on 36.1% shooting from three on 7.4 attempts.

Obviously, getting two veteran pieces back from a team that earned a 1-seed in the Big Dance is massive in today's era of college basketball, especially given that Duke is bringing in the No. 1 overall 2026 recruiting class.

Mar 21, 2026; Greenville, SC, USA; Duke Blue Devils center Patrick Ngongba (21) warms up before the game against the Texas Christian University Horned Frogs 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

Underrated Factor for Their Returns

Right now, it feels truly up in the air whether Evans and Ngongba will come back to Duke or make the leap to the NBA. However, an underrated factor that could play a role in that decision is the fact that the 2027 draft class is considered extremely weak relative to others over the past several years.

The 2026 recruiting class is an interesting one, as practically every top recruit, with the exception of No. 1 overall player Tyran Stokes, is considered a long-term developmental prospect rather than an elite talent ready to impact winning on a championship-caliber team right away.

Mar 27, 2026; Washington, DC, USA; IDuke Blue Devils guard Isaiah Evans (3) shoots the ball against the St. John's Red Storm in the second 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

On the contrary, the 2025 recruiting class might be the most talented freshman class in the history of college basketball. There's a chance that every lottery pick in this year's NBA Draft is a freshman, with several can't-miss prospects on the board.

This obviously affects Evans' and Ngongba's draft stock. The pair is each projected as late first-rounders in what is considered one of the most talented classes in recent memory. With the 2027 draft class appearing to be wide open right now, that leaves tons of room for those two Blue Devils to potentially jump into lottery status with a productive 2026-27 campaign.

Mar 27, 2026; Washington, DC, USA; Duke Blue Devils guard Isaiah Evans (3) dribbles the ball past St. John's Red Storm forward Dillon Mitchell (1) 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: Amber Searls-Imagn Images | Amber Searls-Imagn Images

If Scheyer can get Evans and Ngongba back, Duke has a great shot to enter the 2026-27 campaign as the No. 1-ranked team in the land.