“After the mid-season retirement of Miami Hurricanes coaching legend Jim Larrañaga in December, reports surfaced over the weekend that Duke associate head coach Jai Lucas is set to take over as Miami’s next men’s basketball coach. An elite recruiter with experience at Texas and Kentucky before joining Duke, Lucas is expected to be officially announced in the coming days as he prepares for his first head coaching role in Coral Gables.
While the hire has sparked mixed reactions from Hurricanes fans, the timing of the news—breaking before the end of the regular season—has caused frustration within Duke’s program. Following the Blue Devils’ dominant win over Illinois, head coach Jon Scheyer addressed the reports surrounding Lucas’s departure.
‘Clearly, this was not thought out well enough,’ Scheyer said, per Miami Herald reporter Barry Jackson. ‘It’s not ideal by any means. I don’t think it’s fair to their players.’
Even from Miami’s perspective, the timing was met with concern. Interim head coach Bill Courtney told the Miami Herald, ‘I don’t think anyone is happy with the timing of this leak, or whatever it is—it’s unfortunate. But there are always rumors and speculation. All we can do is control what we can control.’
As speculation continues around Lucas’s move to Miami, Duke is preparing to face the Hurricanes on Tuesday night in what promises to be an intriguing matchup given the circumstances. The Blue Devils, currently 24-3, are aiming to finish the regular season undefeated and secure the ACC title. Meanwhile, according to Miami Herald’s Jackson, Lucas is unlikely to finish the season with Duke, as he shifts his focus to Miami and the upcoming transfer portal opening on March 24. If he departs early, Duke will be without its top assistant during March Madness, where they currently hold the second-best odds to win as of Monday.”
