Caleb Foster Reveals Favorite Duke Basketball Players Growing Up

Prior to Caleb Foster's 2023-24 freshman season as a Duke basketball player, the former five-star guard out of Harrisburg, N.C., confirmed to Duke Blue Devils On SI that his preferred college hoops team has always been the Blue Devils.

"I've been a Duke fan my whole family," Foster said at the time. "My whole family is Duke fans."

This week, during his sitdown chat with fellow Blue Devil returning starter Patrick Ngongba II on the latest edition of The Brotherhood Podcast, Foster broke down which specific Blue Devils he enjoyed watching the most as a kid. He began with a 2015 Blue Devil national champion and one-and-done point guard in Tyus Jones.

"The reason why I came to Duke was Tyus Jones," Foster, looking to build on a Duke basketball junior campaign in which he averaged 8.3 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 2.8 assists per game as a full-time starter for a squad that finished 35-3 overall, noted. "I saw him at the CP3 guard camp one year. So, he was one of my favorites. The Jones brothers — definitely, the two guards, Tre and Tyus — was one. I also liked Austin Rivers...

"When I was young, obviously, I was a big Duke fan, and I used to just follow all the classes and who committed."

One of those commitments drawing Foster's attention was that of now-Boston Celtics standout Jayson Tatum. Foster pointed out the benefit of having Tatum currently on call in his second year as the Duke chief basketball officer. The pair recently worked out together.

CBO JT always lookin out 🙏 pic.twitter.com/0hstJpYJSG
— Duke Men’s Basketball (@DukeMBB) August 29, 2026

"I'm just thankful that I got to be around someone of his caliber," Foster said about his recent workouts alongside Tatum. "Obviously, he's one of the best players in the NBA. And just to see his habits and the way he works and how he approaches the game, I learned a lot...

"He's always told us to hit him if we need anything. So, I just, every once in a while, just hit him up...I have dreams and aspirations to be where he's at. So, just to see his approach and how he operates in his day-to-day workouts, it was amazing. I learned a lot."

Caleb Foster going 1 on 1 with Jayson Tatum 😮‍💨 pic.twitter.com/TmOmudKgIy
— Donté J Harvey (@dontejharvey) August 21, 2026

Patrick Ngongba II Names His Most-Liked Duke Basketball Big Man

As for Ngongba, the junior big man said 2018-19 one-and-one sensation Zion Williamson was his favorite Duke basketball player as a kid. However, he also expressed during his chat with Foster that the one former Blue Devil center he looks up to the most just happens to be Tyus Jones' one-and-done teammate in 2015 national champ Jahlil Okafor.

"I thought he was a beast when he was here," Ngongba, who tallied 10.1 points and 5.8 rebounds per game as a starter for the Blue Devils last season after averaging only 3.9 points and 2.7 boards as a freshman in 2024-25, said about Okafor. "I got a chance to coach with him during K Academy [in June]. So, I just felt like that was a good experience overall."

Duke basketball center Patrick Ngongba II — Mar 2, 2026; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; Duke Blue Devils center Patrick Ngongba II (21) reacts after scoring against the NC State Wolfpack during the first half at Lenovo Center. Mandatory Credit: Zachary Taft-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Ngongba, Foster, and the rest of the 2026-27 Blue Devils tip off their regular season at home against Army on Nov. 2.

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