Blue Devil Country

One Duke Basketball Newcomer Not on Campus This Week

While much of the Duke basketball family congregates in Durham, Patrick Ngongba II is preparing to represent the USA.

Matt Giles

Duke basketball
Duke basketball / Rob Kinnan-USA TODAY Sports
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The likes of Gene Banks, Robert Brickey, Cherokee Parks, Grayson Allen, and Paolo Banchero are in town for this week's K Academy, an annual Duke basketball fantasy camp and a tradition in bringing together past, present, and future Blue Devils.

Of course, retired five-time national champion and camp namesake Mike Krzyzewski is in attendance, along with Jon Scheyer, boasting a 54-18 overall record entering his third year at the helm, and his assistants.

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And as one can see in the posted group photo below courtesy of the Duke basketball social media team, the camp "counselors" include returning talents Tyrese Proctor and Caleb Foster, all four offseason transfer additions in Maliq Brown, Mason Gillis, Sion James, and Cameron Sheffield, plus five members of the nation's top-ranked recruiting class in Cooper Flagg, Khaman Maluach, Isaiah Evans, Kon Knueppel, and Darren Harris:

Only one newcomer is not on hand.

Undoubtedly, though, the player has an excused absence. Incoming Duke basketball center Patrick Ngongba II performed well enough at the USA Basketball training camp in Colorado over the weekend to secure a spot on the 12-man Team USA roster for the FIBA U18 AmeriCup in Buenos Aires, June 3-9.

So, Ngongba will have to miss out on K Academy this go-round. However, given the 6-foot-11 five-star's missed time as a high school senior due to a foot injury, the international competition should prove beneficial in helping him shake off any remaining rust from his recovery before embarking on his Blue Devil career.

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Matt Giles

MATT GILES

Matt Giles is the editor and publisher of FanNation's Blue Devil Country and All Tar Heels, covering the Duke Blue Devils and UNC Tar Heels on SI.com.

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