EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. - Nuggets coach George Karl kept being asked about his son's health. Whenever he answered, he felt uneasy.

So Karl requested it be announced Monday that son Coby Karl will be undergoing additional thyroid cancer surgery April 2 in Boise.

"My dad actually wanted to release it," Coby said Tuesday. "He wanted to stop lying to people because they'd ask, 'How's Coby's health?' And he'd have to be like, 'He's fine.' "

Coby, who just finished his senior season as a Boise State guard, doesn't feel too far from fine.

Coby, accompanying the Nuggets on their five-game trip that began Tuesday, said he's "not too worried" about the procedure.

The surgery will be to remove cancerous lymph nodes, and the prognosis for recovery is said to be excellent. Coby had surgery in March 2006 to have his thyroid removed.

Karl will be with his son during the surgery and said he could miss games April 3 at the Los Angeles Lakers and April 4 at home against the Sacramento Kings.

In that event, Karl said assistant Adrian Dantley "probably" would take over.

"It's been a hard time," Karl said. "(Coby's) been stronger than I have. He told me in January (more surgery was needed). It wasn't easy. We've had 10 or 15 doctor appointments and five or 10 tests. and we're trying to find out exactly what we need to do. . . . We're fortunate it's a cancer that can be treated, can be cured, that you can live with. But it's still scary and emotional."

Coby Karl, whose spring break is next week, has only one class this week that his professor had no problem with him missing.

He will play March 31 in the NABC All-Star Game at the Final Four in Atlanta, and he remains optimistic his health won't hamper his chances of being selected in June's NBA draft.

"I'm probably not too worried right now," said Coby, saying he will have a two-week recovery period, will have to take radioactive iodine and will need to stay away from people.

"Just things I'm worrying about now are kind of recovery and hoping to get it done with."

Karl said his son looks at it like a "strong case of the flu." But not Karl.

"It's made the year hard," said Karl, who told captains Carmelo Anthony and Marcus Camby in January about Coby's condition. "It's also made me realize I have to take care of him. That's No. 1 on my list."