Caleb Foster named as one of the best defenders in college basketball by national analyst

Caleb Foster, one of two returning Duke basketball starters, is among the nation’s best defenders in the eyes of this analyst.

College basketball analyst Andy Katz continued his preseason rankings on Thursday with his list of the 16 best defenders in the sport, and Duke sophomore [autotag]Caleb Foster[/autotag] made the bottom of the list at 14th.

One of two returning starters on the roster, Foster made 27 appearances last season and averaged 7.7 points, 2.4 rebounds, and 2.1 assists per game before an ankle fracture ended his freshman season prematurely. The North Carolina native made more than 40% of his 3-point attempts and scored double-digit points in eight games, including an 18-point performance against the Michigan State Spartans in his third career game.

On the defensive end, Foster used his 6-foot-5 frame to his advantage with 16 total steals. He might not rack up the jaw-dropping highlights like five-star freshmen [autotag]Cooper Flagg[/autotag] and [autotag]Khaman Maluach[/autotag], blocking shots into the stands thanks to their height and athleticism, but he and fellow returner Tyrese Proctor will handle the perimeter defense.

Despite Katz’s rankings, Foster might not even be the most productive perimeter defender on the Duke roster. Tulane transfer Sion James, a versatile 6-foot-6 guard, averaged at least 1.6 steals per game in each of his last three seasons with the Green Wave. He’s even tacked on 0.8 blocks per game over the last two seasons, and he could take the ACC by storm.