Duke basketball freshmen Darren Harris and Patrick Ngongba II made their debut on the Brotherhood podcast this week.
In a conversation with sophomore guard Caleb Foster, Harris and Ngongba gave a scouting report on themselves and discussed the Blue Devils who have stood out in practice so far.
Teammates from Paul VI Catholic Church in Virginia, Harris and Ngongba are included in the Blue Devils’ top-ranked recruiting class. Trevor Keels and Jeremy Roach are the last PVI players to complete their careers at Duke.
“There are tons of young schools that attend PVI and their dream school is Duke,” Harris said. “They see all the success PVI has had in getting kids there. … I hope we’re next in line to have great careers (at Duke).
Third-year head coach Jon Scheyer added six rookies to the roster and four players through the transfer portal to join Foster and captain Tyrese Proctor.
Here are some takeaways from the Fellowship’s latest podcast.
Scouting report on Duke basketball’s Darren Harris, Patrick Ngongba II
A 6-foot-2 guard from Fairfax, Virginia, Harris is considered one of the best shooters in his class. He agrees with the scouting report, but added a caveat.
“I’m a sniper. If I was playing against myself, I’d say, ‘Don’t let him shoot, try to get him off the line, make him make a decision,'” Harris said.
“But I think I’ve gotten a lot better at it. … I am much more complete than I think I deserve.”
As for what needs to improve, Harris pointed out “being more of a playmaker with the ball in his hands” and “defending at a high level”.
Ngongba, a 6-foot-2 player from Fairfax, was drawn to Duke because of the program’s ability to develop and maximize the potential of big men.
“I’m a guy you can give the ball to,” Ngongba said. “I can make plays for others. I feel like I’m a good passer, I’m a good finisher at the rim and I rebound and block shots.
After missing his senior season due to a foot injury, Ngongba added that his focus is on “moving more without the ball” and “conditioning”.
Darren Harris injury update
In late June, Duke announced that Harris had surgery for a fracture in his non-throwing hand. During the latest episode of the podcast, Harris provided a status update on his status.
“It’s going very well. I think I’m ahead of where I should be,” he said. “I’m starting physiotherapy with him, moving a lot. I’m starting to shoot with both hands. … I can’t wait to get back there.”
Darren Harris and Pat Ngongba praise Cooper Flagg, Kon Knueppel and Maliq Brown
In the last part of the podcast, Foster asks Harris and Ngongba to highlight several players who stood out in summer friendly games.
Harris praised Cooper Flagg, Duke’s top recruit and the projected No. 1 pick in the 2025 NBA draft.
“Cooper, I played against him in high school, he’s doing really well and shooting really well,” Harris said. “Obviously, making those defensive plays. He definitely stood out to me.”
Ngongba highlighted the efforts of freshman Kon Knueppel, Wisconsin’s best player.
“I didn’t know (Knueppel) could hold the ball like that and score like that,” Ngongba said.
Defensively, Harris said Syracuse transfer Maliq Brown is causing chaos with a “deflection on every play, it seems.”
“His arms are so long that he takes a lot of deflection,” Ngongba said.
Full episodes of the Brotherhood podcast can be found on Spotify and iTunes. Fans can watch the video version on Duke’s YouTube channel.
Staff writer Rodd Baxley can be reached at rbaxley@fayobserver.com or @RoddBaxley on X/Twitter.
This article originally appeared in The Fayetteville Observer: Duke’s Darren Harris and Patrick Ngongba II discuss Blue Devils
