Jon Scheyer's Hope on Caleb Foster Availability is Predictable Gamesmanship Tactic

The Blue Devil head coach is trying to remain optimistic about his point guard's status

The Duke Blue Devils bench celebrates Saturday, March 21, 2026, during the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament second round game against the TCU Horned Frogs at Bon Secours Wellness Arena in Greenville, South Carolina. | Alex Martin/Greenville News / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Duke basketball team is getting healthier entering the Sweet 16 and head coach Jon Scheyer is hoping to be as close to full strength when the Blue Devils battle St. John’s in Washington D.C. on Friday night.

Scheyer appeared on the Inside College Basketball Now podcast with Jon Rothstein and expressed optimism that Caleb Foster could return from his fractured foot against the Red Storm.

“When he first got hurt, I felt there was more like one in a million,” Scheyer said. “Since that, since he got hurt, the way he’s worked, the chances have continued to increase. I even think there’s an outside chance maybe for this Friday.”

Foster underwent foot surgery on March 8, one day after he suffered the injury in Duke’s regular season finale against North Carolina. It would only be 19 days between the operation and the Sweet 16, seemingly making it a medical improbability to be on the court.

“He’s trying to do the impossible here,” Scheyer added. “I think this weekend, I don’t think I can rule it out because of who he is and how he’s been working.”

Yet it doesn’t make sense for Jon Scheyer to make a definitive statement on Caleb Foster regardless if the head coach knows what his status will eventually be.

The looming idea that he could play against St. John’s gives Rick Pitino and his coaching staff another element to prepare for with an already lethal offense to try and slow down. Foster was averaging a career-high 8.5 points 3.6 rebounds, and 2.8 assists per game on 44.2-percent shooting from the floor and 40.2-percent from 3-point range.

Duke saw center Patrick Ngongba return from an absence related to a foot injury in the Round of 32 against TCU as he played 13 minutes off the bench and the Blue Devils outscored the Horned Frogs by 20 points with him on the court.