Blue Devil Country

Getting Ridiculous: Duke Basketball Lands Yet Another Five-Star Prep

Patrick Ngongba II is Duke basketball's 13th five-star since Jon Scheyer was named Mike Krzyzewski's successor.

Matt Giles

Duke basketball head coach Jon Scheyer (Jim Dedmon-USA TODAY Sports)
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Regarding five-star recruits, Duke basketball could share better with others. Nah.

Paul VI Catholic (Va.) center Patrick Ngongba II announced his commitment to Blue Devil recruiting mastermind Jon Scheyer on Saturday afternoon. His addition to the 2024 haul should guarantee a third top-two class and second top-ranked collection for the second-year head coach since he took over for the 2022 cycle.

RELATED: List of Every Recruit Holding a Blue Devil Offer

Ngongba, who chose Duke over fellow finalists Kansas State and Kentucky, is a 6-foot-11, 235-pound composite five-star. He ranks No. 25 overall, No. 5 among centers, and No. 2 in Virginia on the 247Sports 2024 Composite.

He's a teammate at Paul VI Catholic to the Blue Devils' first 2024 commit, four-star wing Darren Harris (No. 60 composite ranking).

The Blue Devils' 2024 class now sits five deep, as Patrick Ngongba II joins Darren Harris, Wisconsin Lutheran five-star forward Kon Knueppel, North Meck (N.C.) five-star forward Isaiah Evans, and arguably the No. 1 talent on the high school scene, Montverde (Fla.) five-star forward Cooper Flagg.

RELATED: Jayson Tatum Comments on Duke's Latest Recruiting Prize

Here's a list of the 13 composite five-star talents the Blue Devils have reeled in since Scheyer assumed the recruiting reins from now-retired Duke basketball legend Mike Krzyzewski only two and a half years ago (composite ranking in their class in parentheses):

  • Dereck Lively II (No. 2)
  • Dariq Whitehead (No. 3)
  • Kyle Filipowski (No. 4)
  • Mark Mitchell (No. 13)
  • Tyrese Proctor (No. 23)
  • Jared McCain (No. 13)
  • Sean Stewart (No. 17)
  • Caleb Foster (No. 19)
  • TJ Power (No. 20)
  • Cooper Flagg (No. 1)
  • Isaiah Evans (No. 11)
  • Kon Knueppel (No. 16)
  • Patrick Ngongba II (No. 25)

They account for roughly 20 percent of all the nation's five-star recruits across those three cycles.

And that's not to mention the three other Duke basketball pledges in that span: Harris, 2022 four-star Jaden Schutt, and 2022 three-star Christian Reeves.

Meanwhile, Jon Scheyer and his crew look to snag another one or two five-star seniors as they continue pursuing Don Bosco Prep (N.J.) guard Dylan Harper (No. 2) and Long Island Lutheran (N.Y.) guard VJ Edgecombe (No. 6 composite ranking).

Good luck to everyone battling the Duke recruiting team for anyone. They'll need it.

Jon Scheyer Makes Move for Duke Recruit VJ Edgecombe

Stay tuned to Blue Devil Country on SI.com for more Duke basketball recruiting news.

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Matt Giles
MATT GILES

Matt Giles is the editor and publisher of Duke Blue Devils on SI, North Carolina Tar Heels on SI, and NC State Wolfpack on SI, making him a key source for comprehensive coverage of these storied college basketball programs. Since joining SI in 2022, Matt has been dedicated to providing in-depth analysis, breaking news, and exclusive content on all three teams. He covers everything from game previews and recaps to player profiles and recruiting updates. Matt's expert knowledge of these teams has made his work a go-to resource for fans and followers of Duke, NC State, and UNC. As publisher, he shapes the editorial direction, ensuring that the most relevant and timely information reaches his audience.

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