Duke has several players gearing up to make decisions on their future. While it's obvious that Cameron Boozer is headed to the NBA as a projected Top 3 pick, the future is less clear for the likes of Isaiah Evans, Patrick Ngongba, and Dame Sarr.
Evans feels like a 50-50 proposition as a late first-round pick, and we'll discuss the decision for Sarr at a later date.
For Ngongba, the sophomore center had a breakout season for the Blue Devils in 2025-26. He took over the starting five spot from Khaman Maluach after he left for the draft, and in doubling his minutes, Ngongba practically doubled his statistical output across the board.
Ngongba averaged 10 and 6 while shooting just shy of 61% from the floor. He also averaged over a block a night and anchored one of the best defenses in college basketball.
Ngongba's season got him firmly on the NBA Draft radar, but his decision on returning to Duke or entering the draft isn't cut and dry.
Patrick Ngongba is a projected 1st Round pick in the 2026 NBA Draft
Tankathon has Ngongba as the No. 22-ranked prospect on their latest big board, but has him being selected with the 17th overall pick by the Oklahoma City Thunder in their mock.
At 6-foot-11 and 250 pounds with above-the-rim athleticism, Ngongba has the physical traits that NBA teams covet, but also that would earn him significant NIL money if he chose to return to college, whether that was at Duke or if he explored the Transfer Portal.
But the biggest reason Ngongba should probably go ahead and declare for the NBA Draft is because of his injury history.
The sophomore big man has dealt with foot injuries since high school. They cost him the majority of his senior season in high school and then forced him to miss the ACC Tournament and the opening round of the NCAA Tournament this year. He was clearly hobbled in the three games he played in March Madness.
At his size, foot issues can be a serious red flag and point to chronic issues that hamper his career. If he's given feedback that assures him a spot in the first round of the 2026 draft, he needs to strike while the iron is hot and take it.
Coming back to college would carry significant risk and put him a year further away from that coveted second NBA contract.