If No Diploma, Laettner’s Jersey Will Come Down

Christian Laettner’s retired jersey and Duke’s 1992 national championship banner will come down from the rafters at Cameron Indoor stadium if Laettner does not earn his degree by July, a Durham newspaper reported Wednesday.

The Herald-Sun quoted an unidentified source as saying Mike Krzyzewski, Duke basketball coach, has notified Laettner that if he doesn’t obtain his degree by the end of the first summer session, he will take down the jersey No. 32 and the banner.

Laettner, an All-American and consensus player of the year, finished the spring semester one credit short of the necessary requirement to graduate from Duke.

“He’ll easily finish it. It’s like an independent study. (Laettner) will be with the Olympic team, and he’ll have to mail in a couple of papers for that one elective he didn’t get,” said a source at the school. “So he’ll be fine by July 1. He wants to do it.

“It’s not like he doesn’t want to get it. He wants the degree,” the source said.