J.C. Ngando arrived in Las Vegas on March 5 on a season-long loan from the Vancouver Whitecaps in March looking for quality, first-team playing time and the possibility of continuous improvement.
He delivered.
Now with a USL Championship All-League Second Team honor under his belt and a Western Conference Final on the horizon, Ngando has taken full advantage of his first season with the Lights.
However, he isn’t very focused on the individual accolades coming his way.
“If I’m being honest, I don’t really play for, care about, or expect to be [on the All-League Second Team],” Ngando said. “I’m really happy just to be a part of this team. It’s not about being on the Second Team or whatever. It’s just about being part of this team and playing football.”
Despite his humbleness, let’s take a moment to look back at the season and showcase what made the league recognize Ngando as one of the best 22 players in the league this year – and what this means for the future of the Lights.
Attacking Flair
The Cameroonian talent proved right from the get-go that he was a gifted, attack-minded player who could take on opponents and create important goal-scoring chances with relative ease.
He was an instrumental part of the Lights’ historic run to the playoffs, starting in 33 out of 34 regular season matches and contributing with two goals and five assists. Both goals were certified bangers, with the first coming just two minutes into a home match against Indy Eleven.
The other was one of, if not the, biggest moment of the season. Ngando scored a memorable free kick in the dying moments of the game against Phoenix Rising that led to one of the craziest comebacks in the club’s history.
While his goal contributions were incredibly important for Las Vegas’ regular season success, his impact beyond goals and assists was arguably far more pivotal.
His vision and technique have established him as the top big chance creator in the entire league (17 big chances created) and one of its most successful dribblers (2.2 dribbles per game).
Sporting Director Gian Neglia thinks this is partly due to “how sneaky fast and quick he is, which you wouldn’t necessarily expect.” In his own words, Ngando attributes this attacking success to his creative ability: “My biggest strength is being able to find solutions in tight spaces.”
Evidence of his quality passing can also be found in his accurate passing stats (82%, third best in the team) and his key passes per game (two, leading the Lights).
Defensive Improvement
However, having played most of his career as a pure attacking midfielder, Ngando found himself being deployed a bit deeper on the field with more box-to-box responsibilities.
“The biggest thing [that improved] for me this year was learning how to defend and be consistent on the defensive side of the game,” Ngando said.
He has done so successfully, becoming a point of balance in the team’s defensive and attacking transitions. With 32 interceptions and 191 recoveries, he has contributed at a higher defensive level as the season wore on.
“His flexibility to play in any position in the midfield at a high level has been tremendously important for us,” Neglia said.
“Especially earlier in the year, when Charlie [Adams] was injured and we didn’t have Ousman [Jabang] yet, we asked him to play as a six [defensive midfielder]. That’s obviously not his primary position, but he still gave us quite a bit, which was huge for us at a critical part of the season.”
Improvement year-on-year is the name of the game for young players looking to break through. Ngando has certainly improved his game on the defensive side of the ball in 2024, and the league recognized his two-way ability with this All-League Second Team honor.
The Next Step
So, what’s next for Ngando and the Lights?
In Ngando’s case, he’s first focused on helping the team win a trophy.
“I feel like I’ve been able to help the team with my way of playing,” he said. “Offensively. Defensively. I’ve been able to connect both sides. It wasn’t like being the scorer, having assists. It was more about being able to simplify the game for my teammates.”
From Sporting Director Gian Neglia’s perspective, he is thrilled with how this season has developed for the team. Ngando is a great case study on the club’s broader philosophy.
“J.C.’s performances here show that we are a good spot for young, talented players to go, play, develop, and take that next step.
“Ultimately, in the ecosystem of football, that’s where we want to be as a club. We want to be that club where we can say that big players got their start here. That’s an important part of what we’re trying to build here in Las Vegas.”
That philosophy goes hand-in-hand with success on the field. Ngando has shown that young players can have a huge impact in the USL Championship, as he has helped carry the Lights to a historic Western Conference Final.
“For my money,” Neglia said, “he’s been one of the best midfielders in the league – bar none.”
