The soon-to-be former Duke associate head coach was finally announced as the new coach at Miami on Thursday, nearly two weeks after the sides struck preliminary agreement on a deal. The five-year contract was finalized in recent days and Lucas will be formally introduced at a news conference in Coral Gables on Monday.
“It is clear that Jai understands what it takes to compete on and off the floor in this new era of college basketball and he sees the great potential at Miami,” Hurricanes athletic director Dan Radakovich said. “We are fortunate to have Jai join us in Coral Gables.”
Lucas will be with Duke for its regular-season finale against North Carolina on Saturday. He's been at Duke for three seasons and is considered to be one of the top recruiters in the game.
“I am incredibly grateful and honored to be the next head coach at the University of Miami,” the 36-year-old Lucas said. “Miami has everything you need to compete at the highest level — elite academics, a passionate fan base, and a commitment to excellence in athletics. Beyond that, the city of Miami has a rich culture and energy that makes this an incredibly special place.”
Miami interviewed a number of candidates — some with college experience, some with NBA experience — and quickly identified Lucas, the son of former NBA coach John Lucas, as its top choice, then worked to get an agreement done.
At Miami, Lucas takes over for Jim Larrañaga, who stepped down suddenly in December and was replaced on an interim basis by longtime associate head coach Bill Courtney — who will coach the Hurricanes' season finale on Saturday.
Lucas will leave Duke before what could be the start of a national title run. The Blue Devils (27-3, 18-1 Atlantic Coast Conference) are widely expected to have a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament.
That means the Blue Devils could play until early April; the transfer portal opens on March 24, and Miami wanted its new coach in place by then to begin the process of rebuilding a roster.
Miami — just two years removed from a Final Four run — will not make the ACC Tournament. The Hurricanes enter the finale at 2-17 in the ACC and 6-24 overall, one loss shy of setting a school record for most in a season. They play host to N.C. State on Saturday in their finale.
It has been an incredible freefall for the Hurricanes, who started 11-2 last season while coming off the trip to the national semifinals — and have gone 10-39 since.
Lucas is the person tasked with fixing it.
Lucas was primarily responsible for Duke winning the race to sign twin brothers Cameron and Cayden Boozer last fall. The Boozer twins, the sons of former Duke star and NBA player Carlos Boozer, live in Miami — and were a top target of the Hurricanes as well.
Lucas also is Duke’s defensive coordinator. He worked at Kentucky for two seasons as a recruiting coordinator and assistant coach, joining the Wildcats after seven years at Texas — his alma mater — where he started as a special assistant, then director of basketball operations and eventually became an assistant coach.
Lucas started his college playing career at Florida, starting 36 games for the Gators in the 2007-08 season, before transferring to Texas. He briefly played professional basketball before turning his attention to coaching.
“My family and I can't wait to get to Coral Gables and get to work,” Lucas said.
___
Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here. AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball
Credit: AP
Credit: AP
Credit: AP
Credit: AP