You don’t have to be a genius to figure out Kyrie Irving isn’t returning to Duke next season.

ACC players know these questions are coming, and have become smart about them. The standard line is, “I’m not thinking about the NBA now” during the season. Of course, most of the time they are.

But the truth usually comes out soon after the season. And that’s why Irving, Thursday night, told The News & Observer, “I’m not definitely guaranteeing I’m coming back. I’ll sit down with the coaching staff after the NCAA tournament and go from there.”

Go from there means turn pro. And that’s going to leave a huge hole for a Duke team that also loses Nolan Smith and Kyle Singler.