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DURHAM -- Have you heard the rumors?

Mike Kzyzewski is leaving Duke to take Phil Jackson's place as head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers. For real, dude: It's Coach K to the N-B-A in sunny L.A.

Not so fast.

At least one person heard the rumors. A fellow named Mike Krzyzewski. And he was not amused.

Krzyzewski squashed those rumors during an offseason news conference Tuesday afternoon at the Emily K Center. Then he took it a step farther.

"I don't know where that rumor started, but there's been nothing done like that," Krzyzewski said. "And I'm not leaving Duke. Whatever you hear about anything like that, I will never leave Duke until I leave coaching."

Back in July 2004, Krzyzewski turned down a legitimate offer to coach the Lakers. But he didn't slam the door on the NBA the way he did Tuesday while speaking at the downtown Durham children's center named for his mother.

Why the change of attitude, if not change of heart?

"I probably felt that way since the Laker thing (in 2004), and to hear another rumor about that ... " Krzyzewski said, then paused and shook his head. "Not that it's so bad, but I'd rather not go there at all. I don't want my Duke team -- not necessarily my basketball team, but my Duke team, the community -- to feel like I'm looking at other things.

"I'm getting ready to start my 30th year at Duke," Krzyzewski added. "I don't see the finish line yet. I know the finish line will be there some time, but it's not in my vision right now. I'm really enthusiastic to be coaching at Duke. I love where I'm at."

TEAM USA: One coaching gig Krzyzewski might consider would be in addition to his Duke job.

USA Basketball will likely announce its coaching staff for the next Olympic team July 21 in Las Vegas. Krzyzewski coached the Americans to a gold medal at the Beijing Olympics, and he has not ruled out coaching the national team again.

"I got paid off every day that I was working with our national team," Krzyzewski said. "There was not one negative thing for me, my program, my family. That was a great, great experience. And the fact that we won made it even better."

ON GUARD: With Gerald Henderson gone to the NBA, Greg Paulus gone to Syracuse to play football and Elliot Williams gone to play closer to home, Duke is left with just two experienced guards on its roster for next season.

Jon Scheyer and Nolan Smith played key roles down the stretch for Duke, but who will help them?

Krzyzewski -- who said he doesn't like labeling players by position -- plans to move his leading rebounder to the perimeter. Kyle Singler, who will be a junior, defended power forwards last season but a good portion of his own offense came from the 3-point line.

"I was going to put Kyle on the perimeter no matter what," Krzyzewski said. "Right at the end of the season, I said Kyle was going to play on the perimeter (in 2009-10), and that meant both offensively and defensively. He can do that. He's a really good player. And that's really where his future will be. He's going to make a living being on the perimeter."

Lance Thomas is back in the low post, and look for incoming freshmen forwards Ryan Kelly and Mason Plumlee to contribute immediately.

"They're both really good players," Krzyzewski said of the freshmen. "They're very mature. They're skilled. They're easy to play with. They can play multiple positions. ... They're very good. A freshman could start for us. Both those kids are going to play, and they'll play really big roles for us.

"I'm excited about our team. It's going to be a different type of team, but I think it could be a really, really good basketball team. We have talent and we have experience. And we have good players. ... These guys are now put in a position where they get a chance to show more."

GRANDPA K: Krzyzewski has a new grandchild -- his sixth -- a boy named Remington Michael born to daughter and son-in-law Lindy and Steve Frasher.

"Good Polish name, 'Remington,' " Krzyzewski cracked. "Still don't have a 'Wally' or a 'Stosh.' My mother would be angry. Sorry, Emily."

Krzyzewski will become a grandfather for a seventh time this winter. His daughter and son-in-law Jamie and Chris Spatola are expecting a boy in November. They've already picked out a name: John David.

"It's unbelievable," Krzyzewski said. "They find out so early now. They already give names. Where's the surprise, right? But everything is good."

Contact Jeff Mills at 373-7024 or jeff.mills@news-record.com