Cameron Boozer and the Duke Blue Devils had a disappointing end to the 2025-26 college basketball season. After securing a 32-2 regular season record and winning the ACC Championship Game, Duke earned the No. 1 overall seed in the NCAA Tournament. But it fell just short of a Final Four berth, falling to No. 2 seed UConn Huskies in the Elite Eight.
Boozer was easily the best player for Jon Scheyer and the Blue Devils during his freshman season. The 6-foot-9 forward averaged 22.5 points, 10.2 rebounds and 4.1 assists per game, all team highs, earning National College Player of the Year honors. But following the 2025-26 season, Boozer is expected to depart for the NBA, where he is projected to be a top-three pick. However, another Duke star will be returning to Durham next season.
Patrick Ngongba II, a 6-foot-11 sophomore center out of Paul VI High School (Fairfax, Virginia), was a four-star prospect in the class of 2024 (247Sports). He ranked as the 21st-best overall recruit in his class, along with the fifth-best center and the top prospect from the state of Virginia.
Ngongba did not play a major role during his freshman season at Duke, averaging just 10.6 minutes across 30 games. But his role increased significantly as a sophomore, becoming the Blue Devils’ starting center and more than doubling his playing time while averaging 10.1 points on 60.6% shooting, 5.8 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game.
Following the Elite Eight exit, many awaited whether Ngongba would remain at Duke or take his talents elsewhere. And on Monday, the center revealed he will run it back for another year, announcing his return to Durham for his junior season in 2026-27.
Boozer took notice of his teammate’s decision, sending support to Ngongba in the comments section using a gif of WWE superstar Roman Reigns. Ngongba isn’t the only player Duke will get back for next season, as Boozer’s brother, Cayden Boozer, will also be returning to the Blue Devils.
