New video of Caleb Foster at Duke practice has fans bursting with anticipation

Earlier today, Duke head coach Jon Scheyer confirmed that guard Caleb Foster had been practicing with the team, just weeks after fracturing his foot and having reparative surgery.

Despite only being seen in a walking boot and relying on a knee scooter to get around the arena during the first two rounds of the NCAA Tournament, the build-up for Foster's return has been growing rapidly over the last few days.

Caleb Foster looks nearly ready for return

Now, in a new video of the No. 1-seed Duke Blue Devils practicing a day before their Sweet 16 meeting with the St. John's Red Storm, Foster was seen without a walking boot and was even spotted shooting alongside his teammates.

To put it lightly, Foster's return could dramatically change the perception of the Blue Devils in this year's March Madness, greatly increasing Duke's chances of returning to the Final Four and possibly taking the next step to appear in the National Championship for the first time under Scheyer.

Initially, people assumed that Foster wouldn't return for the rest of the season after Duke announced he had fractured his foot in the Blue Devils' regular-season finale. Then, Scheyer allowed hope to blossom when he shared that Foster could hopefully return by the Final Four, if Duke made it that far.

Now, the expectation is that Foster could return as early as Friday, when Duke and St. John's meet in the Sweet 16, if not by Sunday, relying on the fact that the Blue Devils won and advanced the game before.

As of this morning, Scheyer wasn't ready to confirm or shut down the possibility of Foster playing on Friday evening, but all signs are pointing to the veteran point guard making it back to the court much faster than anybody initially expected.

No. 1-seed Duke and No. 5-seed St. John's are scheduled to tip off at 7:10 p.m. ET on Friday, March 27, and the game will be aired on CBS.