Jai Lucas, the former Duke basketball coach and renowned recruiter, has been named the new head men’s basketball coach at the University of Miami. Lucas, who previously served as Duke’s associate head coach and defensive coordinator, played a pivotal role in securing elite recruiting classes and strengthening the team’s defense during his tenure. His coaching journey also includes impactful stints at the University of Texas and the University of Kentucky, where he earned a reputation as a top recruiter, landing multiple five-star prospects. At Duke, he was the lead recruiter for standout players like Cooper Flagg and the Boozer twins.
Lucas’s move to Miami marks his first head coaching role, taking over for Jim Larranaga, who retired midway through the past season. According to reports by Alex Karamanos, Lucas has already hit the ground running, diving into recruiting efforts to bring top talent to the Hurricanes. One of his first visits was to see five-star 2026 prospect Toni Bryant at North Tampa Christian Academy. Bryant, a 6-foot-10, 200-pound power forward, is one of the top players in the Tampa Bay area and led the nation in blocked shots as a sophomore. He holds offers from programs like Ole Miss, Texas, Florida, and Miami, and is ranked as the No. 4 player in Florida and the No. 14 player nationally by On3.
During his introductory press conference at Miami, Lucas highlighted the wealth of basketball talent in Florida, particularly in the 2026 recruiting class. “Florida has the best talent coming up these next couple of years,” Lucas said. In addition to targeting high school prospects, Miami is also actively pursuing top players in the transfer portal, such as Josh Harris from North Florida. Lucas’s mission is to rebuild the Hurricanes’ basketball program, which is coming off one of its worst seasons in history, by leveraging the rich talent pool within the state and beyond.
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