Kentucky cracks top schools list for 4-star '24 C Patrick Ngongba
On Monday, Patrick Ngongba announced that he had earned an offer from Kentucky men’s basketball. A day later, he’s included the Wildcats among his list of finalists.
According to On3’s Joe Tipton, Ngongba, a four-star class of 2024 center, is down to eight college options: Kansas State, UConn, Indiana, Providence, Kansas, Duke, Kentucky, and Michigan. Checking in at 6-foot-10, 235 pounds, the Warrenton (VA) Paul VI Catholic product is considered the No. 26 overall rising senior in the country per the On3 Industry Ranking.
So far, Ngongba has taken four official visits: Duke, Kansas State, UConn, and Providence, but is planning to take more over the next few months.
“For one, I want to go to a school that can develop me,” Ngongba told On3 about what he’s looking for in a college program. “I want to get to the next level, so a program and a coach that can get me there. Also, I want to go somewhere that has a family environment. A place I can bond with the players, play video games and hang out.
“How the coaches play, how they look to use me in the system will definitely be a factor and something I look at, but it won’t be the biggest thing for me.”
Although Ngongba has yet to visit Kentucky, Tipton reports that he will take a trip to Lexington (along with Indiana, Kansas, and Michigan) before making his final decision, which is expected before the early signing period in November.
Ngongba’s stock received a significant boost due to his play on the EYBL circuit with Team Takeover. Prior to Peach Jam, he appeared in 16 games and put up impressive numbers: 12.7 points, 7.8 rebounds, 1.4 assists, and 1.2 blocks in 19.3 minutes per contest. Ngongba’s efficiency is what stands out though — he hit over 70 percent of his total field goals during that span.
But he’s not entirely limited inside the paint. Including last week’s Peach Jam stretch, he shot a combined 11-17 from beyond the arc on the EYBL circuit this year. Ngongba also shot 72.2 percent from the free-throw line coming into Peach Jam but struggled during the event with a mark of just 7-16 (43.8 percent).
Both of Ngongba’s parents played college basketball at George Washington where his mom was inducted into the George Washington Athletic Hall of Fame in 2004. She is now an assistant coach at George Mason.
The Wildcats currently have one commit locked in for the 2024 recruiting cycle, four-star big man Somto Cyril.
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