When Jose Bautista purchased Las Vegas Lights FC at the beginning of 2024, he quickly built his leadership team with new Sporting Director Gianleonardo Neglia spearheading player recruitment and new Head Coach Dennis Sanchez tasked with leading the group on the field.
When building the roster in a matter of weeks, they knew how important it was to have a focal point in central midfield. The team’s style of play involves dominating the ball, and it requires having a connector and a creator. In J.C. Ngando, they found both.
The Vancouver Whitecaps selected Ngando with the No. 5 pick in the 2023 MLS SuperDraft after a prolific two-year career at UNC Greensboro. He played sparingly in his rookie season, so when the Lights came in with an offer to join on a season-long loan, it made sense for player and club.
“Coming here, everybody welcomed me from the beginning,” said Ngando. “It was about giving everything I have to give for this team.”
Ngando has been a revelation, cementing himself as one of the best central midfielders in the USL Championship. In addition to recording two goals and four assists, he’s fifth in the league in chances created with 61 and ninth in completed passes.
“He grew up in the streets of Paris and that’s where he learned his footballing trade,” said Sanchez. “A lot of his skill set comes from that. His creativity at the right times, his ability to unbalance players with the ball. There’s no doubt that he has the ability to create and score goals for this group.”
Ngando has formed a great attacking relationship with countryman Valentin Noël, who’s having a tremendous statistical season with nine goals and six assists. So much of his success in the final third has come from the play of Ngando, who’s responsible for putting Noël and others in promising positions in the final third.
“He dictates the tempo in the midfield,” Noël said of Ngando. “He’s able to defend, he’s able to attack, he’s able to find passes. It’s been a pleasure. He’s the one who we rely on a lot in our buildup. Without him, we wouldn’t be where we’re at right now.”
Ngando’s teammates love sharing the pitch with him and for good reason. He plays with a grace that feels effortless while making everyone around him better.
“J.C. is an incredible talent,” said defender Shawn Smart. “He definitely has helped us a lot with his overall skill in games and the fact that he’s able to get us out of sticky situations.”
The Lights added two more players on loan from MLS this summer in Ousman Jabang and Grayson Doody, who each joined from CF Montréal. Jabang, who knew Ngando from playing against him in college and is now playing next to him in the center of the park, said he spoke to Ngando prior to his move and he helped convince him to come to Las Vegas.
“Everyone can see how talented that guy is,” Jabang said of Ngando. “He said we’re building something here, and you could help. Playing alongside him, he makes it easy. On the offensive side, get the ball to him and let him do what he does.”
Ngando has been a key catalyst in turning around a Lights franchise that went from last place in the Western Conference last year to booking its first trip to the postseason in club history in 2024.
“My focus was never on, ‘I want to do well here so Vancouver can see,’” said Ngando. “My focus was, ‘I’m here, I want to give everything and do what I’m supposed to do and whatever happens next year happens.’”