Duke may be getting closer to having its full backcourt available, and Caleb Foster appears to be trending toward a return at just the right time.
After the Blue Devils handled Tennessee on Tuesday night at Cameron Indoor, Jon Scheyer said Foster "has a chance" to play Sunday when Duke visits Kansas in its third and final exhibition game. Foster, a senior guard, has missed the first two exhibition contests, but the door is now open for him to suit up.
Jon Scheyer:
"Caleb (Foster) has a chance of playing Sunday."
Says he's been in Jon's ear, dying to play.
- Conor O'Neill (@ConorONeill_DI) October 21, 2026
That would be a welcome development for a Duke team that has already looked sharp without him. The Blue Devils were expected to be loaded in the backcourt with Wisconsin transfer John Blackwell and 5-star freshman Deron Rippey, and early returns have backed that up.
Rippey was the headliner against Tennessee, pouring in 21 points to pace all scorers in the blowout. Blackwell wasn’t far behind, finishing with 18 points on 6-of-8 shooting.
Cayden Boozer added a different kind of impact. His scoring didn’t jump off the page the way Rippey’s and Blackwell’s did, but he led Duke with six assists and finished at +24, a strong sign of how much his playmaking helps the Blue Devils function.
Foster will now be trying to carve out his place in a group that already has some real momentum. For a veteran guard who has seen plenty of different looks in Durham, that shouldn’t be a major obstacle.
The bigger challenge for Scheyer is sorting out the minutes in what’s shaping up to be a crowded backcourt. Sunday could give him his first real chance to start piecing that together if Foster is able to go.
If Foster does play, it sounds likely he’ll be limited. Duke would love to walk out of The Phog with a win, but staying healthy and getting ready for the regular season still matters more.
For Foster, the interest is obvious: he wants on the floor. And unless something changes between now and Sunday, there’s a good chance he gets that chance against Kansas.
Sunday will be Duke’s last exhibition test before the games count. The Blue Devils open the regular season at home against Army on Monday, November 2nd, at Cameron Indoor.
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