The Duke Blue Devils open the season ranked No. 6 in the Associated Press preseason poll, and expectations in Durham are sky-high. But behind the talent, hype, and headline names, Duke’s ultimate success could hinge on one critical factor — the development of sophomore center Patrick Ngongba II.
Ngongba’s freshman campaign was a tale of growth. Once he regained his health and saw more minutes following Maliq Brown’s injury, his confidence and production began to rise sharply. The flashes of dominance that made him a highly rated recruit started to show — and now, those glimpses have turned into expectations.
With Khaman Maluach departing and Duke not adding a true center in its latest recruiting class, Ngongba is stepping into a massive role as the team’s full-time anchor in the paint. At 6-foot-11, he’s expected to handle the physical demands of being a rim protector and inside presence for one of the fastest, most versatile offenses in college basketball.
There are still questions, of course. Can Ngongba consistently defend elite bigs? Can he stay out of foul trouble and maintain his conditioning over the course of a long season? Those inside the Duke program are optimistic — and they’ve seen the progress firsthand.
“He’s not the same player he was last year,” said associate head coach Chris Carrawell during media day. “They used to call him ‘Fat Pat.’ You can’t call him that anymore. Now it’s ‘Slim Pat.’”
Ngongba’s offseason transformation has impressed both coaches and teammates. He’s leaned down, improved his mobility, and strengthened his endurance to handle 25-plus minutes per game — something he struggled with early in his college career.
With Cameron Boozer likely joining him in the frontcourt and Maliq Brown returning as a reliable reserve, Duke has the makings of one of the most balanced and skilled big-man rotations in the country. But it all starts with Ngongba.
If he can anchor Duke’s defense, finish around the rim, and stretch the floor just enough to open space for Boozer and Caleb Foster, the Blue Devils could be looking at more than just ACC contention — they could be a legitimate national championship threat.
The message from inside the program is clear: as Patrick Ngongba goes, so goes Duke.
