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Duke Now is your place for Blue Devil hoops and football. Beat writer Laura Keeley has up-to-the-minute news and analysis. Columnist Luke DeCock also contributes. Follow us on Twitter at @laurakeeley or @accnow.

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Mike Krzyzewski committed to 2016 Olympics, Duke

Mike Krzyzewski isn't planning on leaving the Duke sideline anytime soon. Credit: CHUCK LIDDY

Flanked by Duke president Richard Brodhead and athletic director Kevin White, Mike Krzyzewski announced that he would return at USA Basketball’s head coach for a third Olympics.

He also talked about his long-term commitment to Duke.

What Tarik Black to Kansas means for Duke

Amile Jefferson will be Duke's main protector of the paint next season. Credit: CHUCK LIDDY

The last outstanding piece of Duke’s 2013-14 roster was settled Monday, when Memphis transfer Tarik Black chose to take his services to Kansas next year instead of Duke and Oregon. Black’s choice was first reported by CBS Sports.

The Blue Devils’ coaching staff had recruited him hard—Mike Krzyzewski, Nate James and Steve Wojciechowski all visited him at home, and he came to Duke’s campus on May 13—but he went to Kansas the next day, the same day the Jayhawks landed No. 1 recruit Andrew Wiggins, and Black made his decision one week later (one person at Duke who did benefit from Black’s decision is Todd Zafirovski , who gets to remain on scholarship for his graduate year).

Summer Hoops Preview '14: Vintage Duke the team to beat

Coach: Mike Krzyzewski (34th season, 884-238 at Duke; 957-297 overall)

2012-13 record: 30-6 (14-4 ACC, second)

Postseason: NCAA tournament, 3-1 (beat Albany, Creighton, Michigan State; lost to Louisville)

Projected starting lineup: G Quinn Cook, G Rasheed Sulaimon, F Jabari Parker, F Rodney Hood, F Amile Jefferson

Plus

• Remember when Duke lost to Lehigh in the NCAA tournament in 2012 and Lehigh, from the Patriot League, had arguably a more athletic lineup than Duke, an ACC program with its choice of McDonald's All-Americans?

Summer Hoops Preview '14: History points to Duke in new ACC

Summer Hoops Preview '14
Today: The Picks; Duke, UNC, N.C. State
Monday: Wake Forest, Notre Dame, Boston College, Florida State
Tuesday: Clemson, Maryland, Miami, Pittsburgh
Wednesday: Syracuse, Virginia, Virginia Tech, Georgia Tech

If Duke's history is the precedent, the rest of the newly expanded ACC is in trouble.

The Blue Devils have a chance to be historically good in 2013-14. Mike Krzyzewski has taken Duke to the NCAA tournament 29 times in his 33 seasons. He has lost in the round of eight only twice: last season to Louisville (the eventual champion) and in 1998 to Kentucky (the eventual champion).

Former Duke star Gerald Henderson back in school

Gerald Henderson is back in school this summer. Credit: DUKE BLUE PLANET

Summer classes started at Duke on Wednesday, and one notable former star was back in the classroom, continuing toward his degree.

That would be Gerald Henderson.

Henderson, working on his psychology major and certificate in markets and management studies, played at Duke from 2006-2009, forgoing his senior year to enter the NBA Draft. He was selected 12th overall by the Charlotte Bobcats in the 2009 NBA Draft.

As a junior, Henderson earned first-team all-ACC honors after averaging a team-best 16.5 points per game. He finished his career with 1,262 points.

Henderson, a Bobcats' team captain who averaged 15.5 points per game last year, is a restricted free agent.

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A look at 2014 Duke football recruiting

David Cutcliffe and his staff have been busy on the recruiting trail. Credit: TAKAAKI IWABU

Duke's first bowl berth in 17 years seems to be having an effect on recruiting.

It's been a busy 24 hours for the Blue Devils, as three prospects gave their pledge to join the class of 2014. That trio brings Duke to nine commits for a class that is only expected to take around 15 total prospects. At this time last year, Duke only had one commit, according to a recent Q&A in Sports Illustrated.

Josh Hairston undergoes thumb surgery

Josh Hairston, who averaged 2.6 points and 2.1 rebounds per game, underwent surgery Tuesday. Credit: STEVE CANNON/AP

Duke reserve forward Josh Hairston underwent successful surgery to repair ligaments in his right thumb, the school announced in a release Tuesday. He is expected to be sidelined 6-8 weeks.

Hairston tore the ligaments leading up to Duke's Feb. 16, 83-81 loss at Maryland. He posted 11 points, tied for his season-high (he had 11 in the Blue Devils' next game, at Virginia Tech). He didn't miss any games as a result of the injury.

Duke trio among ACC alumni invited to NBA Combine

Mason Plumlee is one of several local players who will participate in the NBA Combine. Credit: CHUCK LIDDY

All three Duke players eligible for this year's draft—seniors Mason Plumlee , Seth Curry and Ryan Kelly —have received invitations to the NBA Combine, the league announced Thursday night. Curry and Kelly, both recovering from offseason surgeries, will not participate in workouts.

Here is a list of all the ACC alumni headed to the May 15-19 workout in Chicago:

Duke to host Michigan in ACC-Big 10 challenge

Rasheed Sulaimon came up big in last year's ACC/Big 10 challenge win. Credit: CHUCK LIDDY

Duke will host Michigan in next year's ACC-Big 10 challenge, according to multiple sources. The official announcement will come at 2 p.m.

The Blue Devils are the first ACC team to have two sets of back-to-back home games in the series, which began in 1999. Duke hosted and beat Indiana 54-51 in 2006 and defeated Wisconsin at Cameron Indoor Stadium, 82-58, in 2007. Last year, Duke hosted and defeated Ohio State 73-68, thanks in large part to 17-second half points from Rasheed Sulaimon.

Duke basketball recruiting for 2014

Grayson Allen is the first commit of what could be a pretty full 2014 class. Credit: SCOTT WHEELER — THE LAKELAND LEDGER

It's not too often that a high-level basketball recruit publicly identifies his dream school from the start of his recruiting process.

But that's exactly what Grayson Allen, a shooting guard from Jacksonville Providence High, did. He told everyone that would listen that he wanted to go to Duke, and he became Duke's first 2014 commit shortly after Jeff Capel, Steve Wojciechowski and Mike Krzyzewski visited him at home and extended him an offer. You can read the full story on Allen here.

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