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

Kentucky Wildcats

Considering how Coach John Calipari is always willing to play freshmen, it makes sense why a rising prospect like Ngongba would be interested. And there’s a chance that the frontcourt will completely turn over again, as West Virginia transfer Tre Mitchell has one year left and five-star big man Aaron Bradshaw could be a one-and-done as well.

The issue here is that if Ngongba is only a center at the NCAA Basketball level, there are already two bigs on the Kentucky roster in Ugonna Onyenso and 2024 commit, Somto Cyril. While this prospect is on the level of those two on paper, there’s a definite logjam that’ll occur that could force someone either out or on the bench entirely.

Michigan Wolverines

With All-American center Hunter Dickinson now gone, Tarris Reed Jr. is the only true five-man on the roster. He’s not proven in extended minutes so there’s no telling as to what the position will look like going forward. Either way, Ngongba would at minimum, get minutes behind him as a freshman.

Coach Juwan Howard likes athletic bigs, having a similar big man in the past in Moussa Diabate, who ended up being a one-and-done prospect. Since both Tray Jackson and Olivier Nkamhoua will be gone after next season, there’s room for another big man to come in and make an impact.