close
close

Cinema Room: Patrick Ngongba II looks to strengthen the position with his size and strength inside

Posted on by angelo

As Duke basketball fans continue to wait for the upcoming season, the Blue Zone is here to break down the films of the new additions to the men’s and women’s teams. We’ve already seen With KneuppelNext on the list is Patrick Ngongba II:

Ngongba, the second-tallest player in the Duke men’s basketball freshman class, is looking to bring some seriously lacking center depth heading into the 2023-24 season. Ranked as the 25th-best prospect in the 2024 class by ESPN, he can help bolster a title-hungry Duke team with his dynamic offensive skill set.

It’s hard to pinpoint which trait Ngongba is “best” at, because the Fairfax, Virginia native has all the hallmarks of an all-around great, increasingly important in today’s era of “positionless” basketball. For one, Ngongba’s excellent footwork enhances his low-post scoring. Watch him completely wrap his defender around with a few tentative moves for a layup:

His performances aren’t limited to scoring under the basket, as the 2.08m freshman showed flashes of shooting ability from beyond the post and even beyond the arc. Watch Ngongba score a deep goal while drawing a foul and shocking the crowd:

So how did Ngongba’s versatility as a scorer translate into hard numbers? During his time in the EYBL this summer of 2023, Ngongba shot 70 percent from the field, showing that he could be a very effective player for the Blue Devils in the 2024-25 season. For a testament to his ability to work within a system, watch him perfectly execute a pick-and-roll for the easy floater:

While Ngongba’s offensive qualities are evident, he sometimes shows physical inconsistencies. On this defensive possession, he chooses to avoid contesting too forcefully while perhaps reacting a little too late to the cutter. That said, he also manages to avoid committing fouls in the process:

A late possession in that game proved to be a better defensive move for Ngongba. After his future Duke teammate Darren Harris lost his player, Ngongba stepped up to the plate perfectly as a help defender with a hard rejection off the sideboard:

All of these highlights bode well for Ngongba’s freshman season. However, he suffered a broken foot last year that caused him to miss nearly his senior year of high school. While he is medically cleared to return, as evidenced by his participation in the FIBA ​​AmeriCup in June, he may need additional time to adjust to the college level after his injury. Either way, Ngongba should be a solid rotational big man for the Blue Devils as they chase another title this season.