Entering the weekend of Final Four, Duke stood as heavy favorites to win it all. And why not? The entire starting lineup was stuffed with future NBA stars and of course, the best freshman of the season– Cooper Flagg. But as the final 2 minutes ticked away, the odds suddenly changed with the Blue Devils giving away a 9-point lead. “I’m heartbroken for our team that did everything for 38 minutes or 39 minutes, and came up short,” Jon mentioned after the 70-67 NCAA semifinals defeat. Yes, they played great for 38-39 minutes, Scheyer had one of the best balances in offense and defense in the remaining four teams. But the game was Duke’s to lose. But can it be that one decision could have changed some things?

Throughout the game, Houston kept Duke on its feet. And the Blue Devils? Well, let’s say Cooper did what he does best. Except for the final shot that could have turned the luck in Duke’s favor, he balled out with 27 points and 7 rebounds. But apar from his, it was just Kon Knueppel’s stat sheet (16 points and 7 rebounds) that could make the blue blood program feel a little better. Now, you can consider this entire starting lineup wiped clean for the next season.

Cooper Flagg—the projected No. 1 pick in the NBA Draft and National Player of the Year—is unlikely to return. So are fellow freshmen Kon Knueppel and Khaman Maluach, who are both expected to join him in the pros. Veteran transfers Sion James and Mason Gillis are out of eligibility. Even Tyrese Proctor and Isaiah Evans are weighing whether to stay or go. However, one of the stars, who recently announced his return, was heavily overlooked it seemed in the semifinals clash. And an ESPN analyst agrees.

ESPN Radio’s Tim Donnelly didn’t hold back when he shared one miss that would be on Jon and not his team. “I think Duke may be the reigning national champions if Caleb Foster had played more in the second half of their loss against Houston in the Final Four. He played really well in the first half and brought some kind of angry, defiant energy. In the second half, he wasn’t used much, and I think they needed some of that,” said Donnelly.

Now it is clearly visible that Foster did not light up the scoreboard in the Final Four. In 13 minutes on the hardwood, he went 0 for 3 from the field and 0 for 2 from the free throw line. And while he may have picked a whistle, he did fight on the glass and the 4 rebounds are a proof. But his presence mattered.

He brought grit, energy, defense, leadership– All the stuff you don’t generally see on a stat sheet. And in the final eight minutes against Houston, when Duke blew a 14-point lead, that’s exactly when they could’ve used someone like him on the floor. And his postseason performance shows it all.

In the first NCAA round, he almost went for his season high. Almost. Because he landed at 12. But the efficiency? In a game against Mount St. Mary’s Mountaineers where the highest score was 19 points by Tyrese Proctor and 14 by Flagg, he came with an 80% shooting from the field to score highest off the bench at 12. It was also fourth-best for the game. His 3 rebounds and 2 steals only added to why he could have been the difference maker for Jon.

In fact, in the following games when he was given at least 10 minutes on the floor, the now junior has showcased why he is meant to be a Blue Devil. Averaging 13.2 minutes in the NCAA tourney, the guard averaged 4.6 points, 2 rebounds, and a little under 2 assists. While these numbers don’t stand out, but his presence on the court is the difference maker. But now, it’s just a case of what ifs for Scheyer and Duke.

No doubt, Foster’s season was kind of all over the place. In fact, his entire time a Durham has been like that, but he did showcase his potential in his freshman season. He started out strong, then lost his spot to Sion James. At times, he wasn’t even in the rotation. Yet, he has announced his Durham return, hoping for a more productive junior season.

Caleb Foster: A return with regret?

Now Foster’s coming back, and he’s clearly not done yet. On his co-hosted ‘The Brotherhood Podcast’, Caleb announced Thursday, “What’s up, Duke fans? It’s C-Fos here. As I mentioned before on previous podcasts that, growing up, it’s always been a dream of mine, chasing championships here at Duke. That has not changed and I’m excited to announce that I’ll be coming back for my junior year to keep going and keep pursuing to get that national championship, number six.”

Sounds great, right? There’s a lot of heart in that statement. But there’s also a bit of what-if energy in the air. Like— What if he will still not get to play more? Because over the last two seasons, instead of seeing his role grow in Duke’s stuffed roster, Caleb has only seen his contributions reduce. He has played at times, but most of the times, it was garbage minutes, adding nothing to his resume. And hence, Donnelly believes, it’d be better for him to leave Durham and instead look for a school where he could be the it guy, the star of the locker room, the one who actually adds to the team while also proving his self-worth.

And again, Donnelly didn’t hold back: “It’s easy to say ‘I’m taking my ball and going home. I’m running to some other power-five program where I could be a featured player. It’s not like he’d have to run to the mid-major level. He could go to an ACC team and be their leading scorer and wouldn’t have to fight that hard for it. But instead, he’s returning.

“He’ll compete, he’ll improve, and there’s no guaranteed role for him next year. Duke’s bringing in another top-ranked recruiting class, I guarantee there will be a transfer or two. There could be guys like Isaiah Evans, could be guys like Tyrese Proctor coming back. That’s what you want, right?”

That reality makes it a tricky return for Foster. While his loyalty to the program is commendable, next season won’t offer any guarantees. Duke’s 2025 class—though recently bumped to No. 3 nationally after five-star Shelton Henderson decommitted—remains stacked with elite talent. Scheyer continues to reload quickly.

Interestingly, the class still features top-tier names. The Boozer twins are headlining, with Cameron Boozer earning praise as one of the most polished forwards in high school basketball. His brother Cayden adds backcourt firepower, and Nikolas Khamenia brings versatile frontcourt depth. All signs point to another deep, competitive roster—one where Foster will again have to carve out his place.

Whether his return becomes a redemption arc or a cautionary tale—only time will tell. But the stakes at Duke have never been clearer.