NCAA Basketball: Analyzing 8 finalists for top-30 center Patrick Ngongba II

When looking at the biggest risers in the 2024 NCAA Basketball recruiting class, it’s hard to find someone more notable than Patrick Ngongba II. He’s gone from completely off the radar to a borderline five-star prospect within a year and a star-making.

Ngongba is a 6’11 center from Fairfax, Virginia whose offensive game has developed into being an all-around threat, including being capable of shooting from three-point range. His size allows him to be an interior defensive presence and there’s still some growth his body has doing.

After barely getting attention from power conference programs, Ngongba now has the blue bloods after him, including a couple that made his cut to eight teams. Here’s a look at how he’d fit potentially with each of them.

Duke Blue Devils

After striking out on centers to join the roster for the upcoming season, Duke will be rolling with senior Ryan Young, as well as star forward Kyle Filipowski to play the five-spot. Both will be gone after next year, allowing whichever center commit to likely be able to start on Day 1.

The issue for Ngongba here is that there’s another five-star rising prospect that the Blue Devils are after in Flory Bidunga. There could be room for both if necessary but there are other locations that could offer guaranteed starting spots for the recruit in question.

Indiana Hoosiers

After losing both Trayce Jackson-Davis and Race Thompson, the Hoosiers were able to land a pair of center transfers this offseason in Payton Sparks and Kel’el Ware. A former five-star prospect himself, Ware could be going pro after next season if he has a breakout campaign.

If that happens, there would be room for Ngongba to come in and likely start or at least share the center minutes with Sparks out the gate. Indiana clearly is looking for a big 2024 class and also is after Bidunga but assuming that won’t happen, this could be a viable option.