Breaking: Caleb Foster drops ‘huge’ update on status with Dukes

Next season, Duke’s basketball team will have at least two guards with starting experience. While Tyrese Proctor informed the coaching staff last week that he would be returning for his junior season, freshman Caleb Foster had no plans to leave Duke and is looking forward to working alongside Proctor next season. “Me and Tyrese learned a lot about what it takes to get to the Final Four, and we’re trying to bring that next year,” Foster said on The Brotherhood podcast, a Duke sports program that debuted on Monday.

This season, the 6-foot-5 Foster started 15 of 27 games. A stress fracture in his right ankle interrupted his season in February, and he has since undergone surgery to fix the ailment. He intends to be back on the court in June. Regardless of his condition, Foster claims he never considered using the transfer portal, as three of his former teammates have done.

“I chose a school. I chose Duke,” Foster said. “I’m 1,000% committed to Duke. I can’t really see myself playing anywhere else. I’m a loyal guy.”

 

 

Foster, who said his ankle plagued him long before his final game against Wake Forest on February 24, averaged 7.7 points and 2.1 assists for the Blue Devils. He hit 43.7% of his shots overall, including 40.6% of his 3-pointers.

Foster, who had been dealing with an ankle issue prior to his final game on February 24 against Wake Forest, maintained averages of 7.7 points and 2.1 assists per game for the Blue Devils. Despite his injury, he showcased solid shooting percentages, hitting 43.7% of his shots overall and 40.6% from beyond the arc.

With Proctor and Foster confirming their return, only Jeremy Roach, the third starting guard from the Blue Devils’ 27-9 season, has yet to announce his plans for the upcoming season. Roach possesses a fifth season of college eligibility due to the NCAA’s exemption for his freshman year during the COVID-19 pandemic, which doesn’t count against the standard four-season limit.

Whether or not Roach decides to return, the presence of Proctor and Foster as primary ball handlers and playmakers bodes well for coach Jon Scheyer’s team’s success in the upcoming season. Adding to the team’s potential, Duke boasts the nation’s top-rated recruiting class, spearheaded by national player of the year Cooper Flagg, a 6-9 forward. This class emphasizes interior talent with the likes of 7-1 center Khaman Maluach and 6-11 center Patrick Ngongba, alongside small forwards such as 6-5 Darren Harris, 6-5 Kon Knueppel, and 6-6 Isaiah Evans.

The status of three Duke players—guard Jaden Schutt and forwards TJ Power and Sean Stewart—remains undisclosed for the next season. All three players have three seasons of college eligibility remaining. Schutt, who saw limited action as a freshman in the 2022-23 season, redshirted this past season due to knee surgery. Stewart and Power, both 6-9 forwards, served as reserves in their freshman year.

Duke’s roster changes include the departure of guard Jaylen Blakes, forward Mark Mitchell, and center Christian Reeves, who have entered the transfer portal. Additionally, Kyle Filipowski and Jared McCain are testing the NBA Draft waters, with projections placing them as potential first-round picks. Furthermore, Ryan Young, a 6-10 graduate student center, has exhausted his NCAA eligibility.