This season, the ball is in Caleb Foster’s court.
Duke’s then-freshman guard watched from the bench last year as the Blue Devils ceded the regular-season ACC title in a devastating loss to North Carolina. He held his breath along with thousands of fans as Tyrese Proctor got a crucial stop against Houston to advance through the Sweet Sixteen. And when Duke fell to N.C. State in the Elite Eight, he sat helplessly in the reserves, still sidelined with the ankle stress fracture that would keep him off the court until June.
Now, Foster has returned to the floor with the help of a podcast, a pool and a fresh perspective.
The otherwise quiet player from Harrisburg, N.C., has stepped up as shepherd of the nation’s top recruiting class. Duke’s talented roster boasts six freshmen and four transfers, but Foster is one of only two returners with meaningful experience in Cameron Indoor Stadium. His 689 minutes in a Blue Devil uniform slotted him into a veteran role right alongside junior guard Proctor, his roommate and backcourt buddy.
It’s an atypical position for a sophomore, but Duke is not your typical basketball school. After living The Brotherhood’s principles for a year, Foster embraced the task of passing them on to the newest Blue Devils. He also worked through an ambitious injury recovery plan designed to help him stand out on a star-studded team.
Developing a vocal presence was Foster’s first step towards a leadership role. He took a seat behind the microphone of The Brotherhood Podcast — hosted last year by then-captain Ryan Young — to conduct interviews with current and former Duke players, along with staff members.
Talking to teammates and guests each Tuesday quickly helped Foster develop a more confident voice. After hosting 19 episodes, he’s even refined a familiar opening line: “What’s up, Brotherhood Podcast? It’s your boy C-Fos, bringing you another special episode.”
“I’m really not — I wasn’t — the guy to talk a lot. But now, stepping into the leadership role, that’s something that comes with it,” Foster said at ACC media days. “[Hosting the podcast was] definitely stepping out of my comfort zone. At first, I was like, ‘I don’t know if I want to do it,’ but then I stepped in and I got comfortable doing it and I love it.”
The podcast has also helped Foster form connections with his teammates. Each interview reveals unique details from their jersey number picks to why they chose Duke. We now know that Khaman Maluach loves playing FIFA, Kon Knueppel’s favorite vacation spot is Sturgeon Bay, Wis., and Cooper Flagg prefers Chick-fil-A as his pregame meal. It’s all fun and games in the studio, but that relationship translates to trust and confidence on the court.
Foster has helped the young Blue Devils find their footing, one step at a time. He’s the old guard ushering in a new era of Duke basketball.
“I’ve been through this,” Foster said. “I know the expectations. I know what it’s like to win the game, I know what it’s like to lose the game. I know how the fans react, and I know how the outside noise is. So I just try to help the young guys be prepared.”
Meanwhile, the 6-foot-5 guard has undergone intense preparation of his own, rehabbing from surgery that repaired his fractured ankle with a plate and screws. After spending half of last season unable to run without pain, Foster wanted to return to the court untouchable.
“The big thing for me coming off injury was to get in the best shape of my life,” he said. “So I can just go out there and run around and not get tired playing my best at a high level for 40 minutes.”
Foster supplemented the typical surgical rehab — stretching, strength training and mobility — with swim lessons at Duke’s lap pool. He even continued the extra training after receiving clearance to return to the court, citing physical and mental benefits.
“Swimming is both great conditioning and low impact on the body, so it’s great to knock both out and not spend any damage on my knees,” Foster said. “And I actually enjoy it. I’m really learning the technique, how to be a swimmer. You might see me out there one day.”
Foster had extra motivation to bounce back stronger given his past potential and Duke’s recent influx of new talent. The former five-star recruit made a name for himself last season before an ankle injury forced him out of play, averaging 7.7 points, 2.4 rebounds and 2.1 assists in 27 games. He also tallied a 40.6% success rate from the 3-point line. When guards Proctor and Jeremy Roach were sidelined with early injuries, Foster stepped up on offense and established himself as a deep threat. He’ll certainly compete to make similar contributions this winter, with a new appreciation for the game and his teammates after his injury.
“I got to live through them, experience the tournament through them,” Foster said. “I learned a lot sitting on the bench from a new perspective. I think it’s going to help me this year.”
Countdown to Craziness already saw Foster in full fighting form. He led his team in both halves while going head-to-head with Proctor and scored at multiple levels of the court. The sophomore also started in Duke’s exhibition contest against Lincoln, draining the first triple of the game and tallying eight points, one rebound and one assist. Against Arizona State, Foster tallied two steals and 17 points with a 60% field-goal percentage. His training this summer has paid off, and fans can expect him to continue stepping up in key moments for the Blue Devils.
“We were finding our groove with Caleb really coming on towards the end of last season,” head coach Jon Scheyer said. “He has great instincts. He has great ability to get in the paint and score and create for others.”
But nowhere does Foster shine more than in his dedication to Duke basketball. The North Carolina native’s childhood dream was to lead the program to a national championship, and he’s still prioritizing that commitment over hopes of one day playing in the NBA.
“I came to Duke to win,” Foster said. “That’s the dream that I’m living out. I want to take every moment I can and give it all I got.”
Foster has provided this season’s young squad with a foundational model of Blue Devil motivation and success. He’s also proven himself a valuable team player on the court, behind the microphone or at the pool.
So watch out, Duke basketball: It’s your boy C-Fos, ready to bring you another special season.
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Abby DiSalvo is a Trinity sophomore and assistant Blue Zone editor of The Chronicle's 120th volume.