The Duke basketball program is one of the deepest and most talented teams in the nation, but likely the biggest question mark from a roster standpoint is the point guard position. The battle for the starting spot between Caleb Foster and Cayden Boozer has been extremely intriguing to watch, and it may be time for head coach Jon Scheyer and his staff to have a conversation about the permanent starter. Both Foster and Boozer have been great during their time on the court, but Boozer's offensive game has looked a bit further ahead than that of Foster. Now, obviously, it's just the second game of the season, but this will continue to be an interesting battle for Duke fans to watch as the season progresses.
Starting PG battle between Caleb Foster and Cayden Boozer could be heating up
As expected, Foster has started both of the Blue Devils' first two games as the veteran leader. He's been elite defensively, but what Boozer showed on the offensive end in Duke's most recent win over Western Carolina could spark debate.
Foster hasn't looked for his own offense a ton and has thrived through his stellar perimeter defense. On the season, the junior is averaging 8.0 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 3.0 assists on 53.8% shooting from the field and 50% from three, but he's only averaging 5.2 shot attempts a night. What could ignite a conversation is whether or not Boozer potentially provides more offensive firepower.
Against Western Carolina, Foster dealt with foul trouble, and he only played 18 minutes compared to Boozer's 27. In the freshman's extended time, he tallied 14 points, seven rebounds, five assists, and two steals on 50% shooting from the field. Boozer is an elite passer, and although his outside shooting numbers haven't flashed in the stat sheet yet, he has the potential to be one of the Blue Devils' most consistent outside shooters.
Now, several questions could go into a potential lineup change, and even if it did happen, it wouldn't be all that significant, as Boozer and Foster would still likely see similar minutes. Duke would then be throwing out three rookies in the starting five, which would become less of a significant development over the course of the season but could pay dividends early on. Additionally, even if Foster isn't attacking for his own offense too regularly, he's still very impactful in several facets of the game.
Fans won't learn too much about the team in its buy games, such as against Western Carolina, but Boozer's solid offensive showing against WCU at least opens the door for a potential conversation.