Patrick Ngongba II injury update: Duke HC Jon Scheyer provides big announcement on freshman

Duke freshman Patrick Ngongba II missed nearly most of his senior season at Paul VI Catholic High School with a right foot injury. Now, as the Blue Devils have begun practice for the upcoming season, Ngongba was seen with a walking boot on his left foot.

On Friday, Duke coach Jon Scheyer provided an update about Patrick Ngongba II. He shared that the center is out for the time being and has no timeline set.

"He's had foot injuries in his high school career and we're still getting him back to 100% health," Scheyer said. "It's not about anything that he's done. It's just about getting him to his full 100% productivity on the court, where he can move completely pain free, and also where he can get back to being the level of player he can be. He's gonna be a terrific player for us."

Patrick Ngongba II is a No. 19, four-star recruit who came to Duke as part of one of the program's top-ranked recruiting classes, including Cooper Flagg, Kon Knueppel, Isaiah Evans and Khaman Malauch. The center spoke about his present condition on Friday and said:

"I definitely feel like my game has improved since I've been here at Duke. I definitely want to be out there on the court with my brothers. But, at the same time, my health is more important. Just trying to get better right now."

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Patrick Ngongba II player profile

Despite dealing with injuries, Patrick Ngongba II was part of the national team that won gold at the 2024 FIBA Men's U18 AmeriCup. He averaged 4.5 points, 4.8 rebounds, 1.2 blocks, and 1.0 assists, shooting 66.7% (10 of 15) from the field.

Ngongba also played for Team Takeover in the EYBL circuit, where he averaged 12 points and 7.4 rebounds per game. In his scouting report, 247Sports' Adam Finkelstein wrote:

"Ngongba has a tremendous combination of size, length, and offensive skill. He stands just shy of 7-feet with ultra-broad shoulders and a big frame that gives him a significant presence on both ends of the floor. He provides a true low-post scorer, but is also an inside-out threat with developing shooting range out to the arc.

"He’s a good passer who is starting to punish double-teams, facilitate from different spots on the floor, and even deliver balls with both hands. He has versatility playing out of ball-screen actions and can also be effective operating in dribble-hand-offs."

Patrick Ngongba II's return to the court would have a huge positive impact on the Duke Blue Devils, but fans will have to wait for some time before they get to see him on court.