While nobody was surprised to see Duke guard Caleb Foster arrive at the ACC Tournament in a walking boot and riding a knee scooter (that's how he left the regular season finale after all), they were surprised to see Blue Devils center Patrick Ngongba II with the same setup.
Ngongba rolled up to the No. 1 Duke Blue Devils' quarterfinal matchup against the Florida State Seminoles in a matching walking boot and on a matching knee scooter.
But, Ngongba was only going to be out for the ACC Tournament because his injury wasn't as serious as Foster's fractured foot that needed surgery... Right?
Patrick Ngongba, Caleb Foster arrive to ACC Tournament in boots
The two could have been (differently sized) twins with their matching sweatsuits, boots, and scooters, despite the fact that Duke head coach Jon Scheyer reported Ngongba's injury as soreness in his foot, which should be nothing compared to Foster's woes.
Well, when everyone saw Ngongba's get-up, they started questioning just how serious his injury was, expressing confusion over the fact that he had reportedly practiced with the team just a day before the postseason matchup.
Pat Ngongba and Caleb Foster arrive for Duke’s ACC Tournament game against Florida State. pic.twitter.com/jX4v9ISXvD
— Carolina Blitz (@KeepBlitzin) March 12, 2026
Ngongba sat out for the Blue Devils' final game of the regular season, the same game where Foster suffered his foot fracture, as Duke defeated their rivals, the North Carolina Tar Heels. Ngongba had missed time earlier in the season for pain in his wrist, but this was something new for the sophomore center.
While Foster's injury was definitive, and he quickly received reparative surgery to start his rehabilitation process as quickly as possible, Ngongba's injury (or, rather, soreness) was much less straightforward.
Nonetheless, both players arrived at Duke's first postseason game of the year on knee scooters and in walking boots, even if their reported injuries were of drastically different degrees.