Miami hit the partner of Duke Jai Lucas as a chief male basketball coach, school announced on Thursday. Lucas has been identified as the first row for work At the end of February, when Canensight was the first To report development. On Wednesday, CBS Sports reported the news of the imminent hiring of Lucas.
Lucas will leave Duke concerned about the championship after his regular season final this weekend against North Carolina to start rebuilding the Hurricanes.
“I am incredibly grateful and honored to be the next head coach at Miami University,” Lucas said in a statement. “Miami has everything you need to compete at the highest level – elite academics, a base of passionate fans and a commitment to excellence in athletics. Beyond that, the city of Miami has a rich culture and an energy that make it an incredibly special place. History, diversity and passion for sport here are secondary.
“I can’t wait to rely on an incredible foundation and lead this program in a new exciting era. My family and I can’t wait to go to Coral Gables and get to work.”
Lucas, 36, has been a key asset under Jon Scheyer in the past two years and more, Duke has maintained his reputation as an elite in the post-Micike Krzyzewski era. Lucas was a critical voice in the recruitments of players such as Cooper Flagg, in addition to the five -star entrance Cameron Boozer and his twin brother, Cayden four starswhich, by coincidence, is quite small from Miami. (The Boozers chose Duke on Miami last fall and could be two of the most impactful first -year students in sport next season.)
Lucas is the son of John Lucas II, a well -renowned and very respected person in basketball circles for decades, going to be the n ° 1 choice of Maryland in 1976. Lucas II played in the NBA from 1976 to 1990 before moving on to training in the 1992 to 2023 association. left in 2020 to take a job in John Calipari staff in Kentucky, then was recruited by Scheyer two years later.
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Scheyer spoke of the preparation of Lucas to be head coach after The record victory of Duke 110-67 On the Illinois at Madison Square Garden on February 22.
“He is absolutely coach, there is no doubt,” said Scheyer. “This is part of the reason why I hired him, and the work he did for us was incredible. … I can tell you 100% I was an incredible coach.”
Miami has been one of the most aggressive programs in the first two years in the Nile era (thanks to a frank and ambitious booster), but it has turned in the past two years. With Lucas (who should be the youngest head coach of the Grand Major) on board, the U should be a player again in the recruitment of the portal and the secondary.
Beyond the transformation of one of the strongest recruiters in the industry, Lucas was also a key defensive strategist at Duke. This season has seen the Blue Devils to their best defender under Scheyer, ranking fourth national in defensive efficiency adjusted to Kenpom.com.
Lucas should leave Duke and be with Miami full time after the Duke-UNC match this weekend, said a source. It is an unusual arrangement which reflects the radical change in the recruitment of university sports in 2025. Lucas helped Duke in the national status of the pretender. The Blue Devils make shipping n ° 1 and have the potential national player of the year in Flagg. At a previous time, an assistant coach would remain until the end of the season. The portal is now playing a major factor in the accelerated turnover, Lucas may not afford to stay with the Blue Devils until their last match in the NCAA tournament.
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Leaving early March, Lucas and Miami are one step ahead of all the other power conference programs that will change this year cycle coaches.
Lucas will succeed Jim Larrañaga, who retired in late December in the middle of a lamentable start of 4-8. Jim Larrañaga led Miami for more than 11 seasons and won 274 games, including a charmed race in the Final Four 2023. Since he resigned the day after the day after. Miami is an Abyssal 6-24 and will conclude the regular season at home on Saturday against NC State. With the ACC now a conference of 18 teams, the last three teams in the ranking do not obtain invitations to the League tournament, which means that the Miami season is over this weekend.
