While many expected Duke guard Caleb Foster to arrive at the ACC Tournament wearing a walking boot and riding a knee scooter after his regular-season finale injury, it caught fans off guard to see center Patrick Ngongba II show up in the exact same setup.
Ngongba rolled into the No. 1 Duke Blue Devils’ ACC Tournament quarterfinal matchup against the Florida State Seminoles sporting a matching walking boot and knee scooter, creating a strikingly similar scene to Foster’s arrival.
However, the expectation was that Ngongba’s absence would only last through the ACC Tournament since his injury had been described as far less serious than Foster’s fractured foot, which required surgery… right?
The two players looked almost like differently sized twins as they arrived in matching sweatsuits, boots, and scooters. The visual contrast was particularly puzzling because Duke head coach Jon Scheyer had previously described Ngongba’s issue as foot soreness, something that seemed minor compared to Foster’s significant injury.
Seeing Ngongba in the same gear as Foster quickly sparked speculation among fans and observers, many of whom questioned how serious the center’s injury might actually be. The confusion grew because Ngongba had reportedly practiced with the team just a day before Duke’s postseason opener.
Ngongba had already missed the Blue Devils’ final regular-season game — the rivalry matchup in which Duke defeated the North Carolina Tar Heels and Foster suffered his foot fracture. Earlier in the season, the sophomore center had also missed time due to wrist pain, but this latest issue appeared to be something different.
Unlike Foster’s injury, which was clearly diagnosed and quickly treated with surgery to begin his recovery process, Ngongba’s situation remained less clear. Officially labeled as soreness, the exact severity of his condition remained uncertain.
Even so, both Foster and Ngongba made their appearance at Duke’s first postseason game riding knee scooters and wearing walking boots — a surprising visual considering their injuries were reportedly very different in severity.