Duke assistant coach Jai Lucas is reportedly the leading candidate to succeed Jim Larrañaga as the head coach of the Miami Hurricanes men’s basketball team. At 36, Lucas has built a strong reputation as a recruiter and defensive strategist through his tenures at Texas, Kentucky, and Duke. While some sources suggest a deal is imminent, others indicate that an official offer has yet to be made. If appointed, Lucas would take over a program aiming to rebound from a challenging season following Larrañaga’s departure in December.
Jai Lucas appears to be the frontrunner for the Miami head coaching job, but no formal offer has been made yet. His reputation as a top recruiter and rising coaching talent makes him a strong candidate to replace Jim Larrañaga, who stepped down in December.
Lucas’ track record includes key recruiting wins for Texas, Kentucky, and now Duke, where he played a major role in landing the Boozer twins, Cameron and Cayden, both Miami natives. If he takes the job, his ability to bring in high-end talent could be crucial as Miami looks to reestablish itself in the NIL era.
Duke head coach Jon Scheyer was asked about Lucas after Duke’s dominant 110-67 win over Illinois and had high praise, calling him “100% an amazing coach.” Interestingly, Duke’s next game is at Miami on Tuesday, adding an extra layer of intrigue to the situation.
