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Patrick Ngongba II 2026 NBA Draft Profile

Originally posted on Last Word On Sports
By Jordan Pagkalinawan | Last updated Mar 11, 2026 6:32 PM ET

Despite being set to miss the ACC Tournament, Duke’s Patrick Ngongba II has entered the 2026 NBA Draft as a solid physical big man with potential on both ends of the floor. At 6’11” and 250 pounds, Ngongba has shown flashes of being an efficient scorer inside while making intriguing reads from the perimeter, complementing a Duke squad that boasts the potential No. 1 pick in Cameron Boozer.

Patrick Ngongba II 2026 NBA Draft Profile

College Career

Ngongba received limited minutes as a freshman (10.5 per game) on a 2024-25 team that ultimately sent five players to the league, including Cooper Flagg, Kon Knueppel and Khaman Maluach. With Maluach moving on, Ngongba has filled his shoes well as the Blue Devils’ starting center. In 29 games (28 starts), he averaged 10.7 points, 6.0 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 1.1 blocks per game while shooting 60.2% from the field, 27.6% from three and 69.4% from the free-throw line.

However, fans who may be intrigued by Ngongba’s game will have to wait until the NCAA Tournament to watch him, as he has been ruled out of the ACC Tournament with right foot soreness. Head coach Jon Scheyer said the priority will be getting Ngongba ready for “the real thing” as March Madness approaches. For a prospect with a history of foot injuries, Ngongba’s health is a key aspect to monitor going forward.

Strengths

Offense

Ngongba primarily scores in the paint on drives and in the post, using his strength to get inside before finishing with a layup or right hook shot. He also has decent athleticism to be a lob threat out of pick and rolls, and—albeit limited—has experience scoring from deep, nailing eight of 30 three-point attempts over two seasons (26.7%).

A unique aspect to Ngongba’s offense is his playmaking. He makes precise reads to cutting teammates from the perimeter and serves as an effective connector in high-low situations. His size allows him to manipulate defenses with high-IQ reads from anywhere on the floor.

Defense

Ngongba’s strength allows him to absorb contact well defensively, and he’s often in the right place at the right time to rack up swats with ease (32 blocks this season, 48 for his career). He’s also a great defensive rebounder, doubling his total from freshman year (109 vs. 50), using his strength and 7’4” wingspan to his advantage on the glass. Those long arms and the aforementioned IQ even help Ngongba disrupt some passing lanes in the post, poking the ball away while his teammates hustle to gain possession.

Weaknesses

Offense

Ngongba’s frame hinders his speed and athleticism, two musts for modern bigs who want to thrive in a fast NBA offense. Additionally, while he may absorb contact well as a post defender, the same cannot be said for his drives on offense. He must establish himself well in that regard and do a better job finishing through contact. Ngongba’s handle is also a work in progress. Defenders can easily swipe the ball if he attempts to dribble in from the perimeter or high post.

Finally, as mentioned earlier, Ngongba’s shooting remains a rightful concern. As veteran centers look to extend their careers with a perimeter shot, several young bigs come into the league as decent stretch fours or fives. Ngongba simply doesn’t have that, shooting if the defense dares him and causing opponents to get the rebound instead of getting it out of the net.

Defense

Ngongba’s lack of mobility may also harm him defensively, as he’s slow to change direction and unable to help on the perimeter. He’s also unable to defend quicker players or skilled shooters on the switch, an area he must improve on to fit into an NBA-level defense. Fouling has also proven to be an issue for him, as he racked up 80 of them this season (2.8 per game) and 131 for his career.

NBA Comparison

Ngongba reminds of former Blue Devil and current Magic center Wendell Carter Jr. with his strength, physicality and playmaking ability. Both are sturdy near-7-footers who use their frames to their advantage and work well within their respective offenses—despite not being the quickest nor the most athletic. They’ve each also proven to be solid defenders, with Carter having averaged 2.1 blocks at Duke and nearly one per game throughout his time in Orlando.

Unlike Ngongba, however, Carter Jr. was an efficient floor-spacer in college (41% 3PT) though even he fired them on a low volume (1.2 attempts per game). Still, his perimeter game has fluctuated over his eight-year career (he’s shot anywhere from 19-37% from deep in his career; this season, it’s at 32%).