One moment, one stop, one viral clip — and just like that, Duke summer practice went from quiet development to must-watch intensity. The footage was raw, the camera shaky, and the clip barely 13 seconds long… but what happened inside the Duke practice facility that day sent a message that this year’s team has real fire.
It all started with Caleb Foster. The junior guard from Harrisburg, NC read the offense like a book, jumped a pass intended for the wing, and immediately pushed the ball up the court. What made the play go viral wasn’t just the steal — it was what came next.
As Foster raced down the floor, he was flanked by Isaiah Evans, who filled the right lane like a blur. Instead of dishing it off, Foster hit a quick euro step and finished through contact. The gym erupted. Not because of a dunk or celebration — but because of what it meant. Returners setting the tone.
Maliq Brown was the first to meet him at half court. The senior forward from Culpeper, VA — known for his physicality and leadership — slapped the floor and screamed, “That’s how we eat this year!” Behind him, Patrick Ngongba II pumped his fist and gave the kind of chest bump that says, we’re locked in now.
But it wasn’t just the vets. Dame Sarr, the Italian freshman who’s been turning heads since the first day of summer workouts, followed up the play with back-to-back stops on the wing. His length and timing had one assistant coach quietly nodding and scribbling in his notepad.
Meanwhile, Darren Harris and Cameron Sheffield kept the perimeter spacing tight in scrimmages, giving glimpses of what Duke’s second unit might look like come November. And Spencer Hubbard — the 5-8 spark plug from L.A. — was everywhere: talking, diving, leading scout reps like it was March.
The Boozer twins — Cayden and Cameron — were locked in too. Cameron Boozer threw down a thunderous putback that drew a collective “ooooooh” from the bench, and Cayden Boozer kept things composed, running the offense with poise beyond his years. Nikolas Khamenia and Sebastian Wilkins added to the rotation energy, with Wilkins showing flashes of high motor hustle that stood out even in short drills.
By the end of the clip, the message was clear. This wasn’t just a highlight — it was a culture moment.
“Bro… That practice clip? Insane,” one fan wrote on X. Another chimed in: “It’s August and Duke already looks like they’ve played together for months.”
From top-ranked freshmen to seasoned returners, this team isn’t waiting for the season to flip a switch — they’re building something now. And if this clip is any indication? Duke’s edge is real.
