Duke basketball head coach Jon Scheyer praised guard Caleb Foster as he met the media this week.
The Duke Blue Devils enter the 2026-27 college basketball as one of the favorites to cut down the nets. That's not unfamiliar territory for the Blue Devils under Jon Scheyer, but somehow they haven't been able to a national title game.
This year, Duke once again has one of the best rosters going into the season. They are welcoming in the No. 1 overall recruiting class, a good transfer portal class as well as welcoming back a few key players.
Among the returning players are guard Caleb Foster, a 2023 prospect who opted to return for another season, his fourth season with the Blue Devils. And he's going to be an important piece for Scheyer and his team.
At media earlier in the week, Scheyer had nothing but praise for Foster and what he means for this team. Scheyer told the media that Foster is the glue to the team and helps keep everything together. Scheyer then told reporters that Foster has worked incredibly hard this offseason after being hurt this past season.
Last year, Foster suffered a broken foot and missed time. He did return for the St. John's game in the NCAA Tournament to help Duke win the game, playing a key role. But Scheyer is right as Foster has suffered some ups and downs in his career.
The decision to return for another year is huge for the Blue Devils. Foster not only gives the Blue Devils a good option on offense but he's sound defensively as well. He can also bring the ball up the court and play that role if needed.
The experience that Foster has is valuable as well. With Duke bringing in a top point guard in the 2026 class with Deron Rippey, Foster can serve as a mentor as well. The two are expected to split playing time throughout the season.
Foster is coming off a 2025-26 campaign in which he averaged 8.3 points, 3.5 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 0.3 steals. He shot 39.8 percent from the three-point line. For Duke, getting those numbers up would be huge in terms of what Foster can bring to the offense.
As Duke will look to figure out rotations early on in the season, it will be worth watching Foster and his minutes to see exactly what the plan is from Scheyer and the staff.
Duke begins the exhibition schedule in October before the regular season slate begins in November.
