CORAL GABLES, Fla. — Jai Lucas, currently serving as the associate head coach at Duke University, is set to become the new head coach for the University of Miami, pending the finalization of his contract, according to a reliable source on Saturday evening.
Negotiations between Lucas and the Hurricanes are expected to move forward in the next few weeks. The source chose to remain anonymous since public confirmation from either party has yet to occur. A key aspect of these talks will determine when Lucas will depart from Duke and begin his role at Miami, especially since the Hurricanes’ regular season concludes on March 8.
Miami faces an uphill battle to secure a spot in the postseason, given their current record of 2-14 within the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) and 6-21 overall following their loss to Virginia Tech. In contrast, Duke is poised for an NCAA Tournament berth and is viewed as a potential contender for the national championship, largely due to standout player Cooper Flagg. Their successful season means they may continue playing into early April, and as the transfer portal opens on March 24, Miami will likely aim to have a new coach ready to start rebuilding the team.
Interestingly, Duke is scheduled to face Miami this Tuesday, although it is not expected that the contract negotiations will be finalized before the game. Lucas would be stepping into the head coaching role following Jim Larrañaga’s abrupt resignation in December, with Bill Courtney temporarily filling in as the interim head coach.
In a recent game, Duke achieved a dominating 110-67 victory against Illinois at Madison Square Garden. Afterward, Duke’s head coach Jon Scheyer praised Lucas, stating that he is definitely meant to be a head coach and credited him for his contributions at Duke. “I can tell you, 100%, Jai’s an amazing coach,” Scheyer remarked. “He’s been great for these guys, and we’ll continue to move forward together and figure all of that out. He’s terrific, man.”
Miami recently made a remarkable run to the Final Four two seasons ago and started last season strong, securing 11 wins in the first 13 games. However, since early January 2024, the Hurricanes have struggled significantly, recording a dismal 10-36 and marking the worst performance among any Division I school in a power conference. Their record against ACC teams stands at 6-29 during this stretch.
This week, Duke holds the No. 3 spot in the AP Top 25 rankings. The news about Lucas’s agreement with Miami was first reported by CanesInsight.
At 36, Lucas is the son of former NBA coach John Lucas and has been part of Duke’s coaching lineup for the past three years, including two as associate head coach. He has garnered a reputation as an exceptional recruiter and played a critical role in Duke’s successful pursuit of twin brothers Cameron and Cayden Boozer last fall. The Boozer twins, who are the children of former Duke player Carlos Boozer, are located in Miami and were considered significant targets for the Hurricanes as well.
In addition to his recruiting prowess, Lucas serves as Duke’s defensive coordinator. His coaching journey includes two seasons at Kentucky as a recruiting coordinator and assistant coach before which he spent seven years at Texas—his alma mater—where he progressed from a special assistant to director of basketball operations, ultimately becoming an assistant coach.
Lucas’s collegiate playing career began at Florida, where he started 36 games for the Gators during the 2007-08 season before transferring to Texas. He also had a brief professional basketball stint, which included playing for the Sioux Falls Skyforce, the Miami Heat’s affiliate in the G League.
