Miami basketball may have struggled this season, but the Hurricanes’ future just got a massive boost. After a disappointing year and the retirement of longtime head coach Jim Larranaga, Miami found a new leader in Duke’s associate head coach, Jai Lucas. Announced as the next head coach on March 6th, Lucas is already creating waves with a bold recruiting statement that has fans buzzing.
Lucas, just 36, has made a name for himself with elite recruiting efforts at Kentucky and Duke, and his arrival in Miami promises to bring a new era of success. When asked about potential recruits, Lucas dropped a bombshell that could shake up college basketball. “Can’t speak on anybody signed or committed elsewhere,” he said, “but you always want to keep the best players home.”
This statement is especially noteworthy for Miami fans, as top Duke commits Cayden and Cameron Boozer—the highly coveted Boozer twins—hail from Miami. Even more exciting? Their high school coach is rumored to be joining Lucas’ staff at Miami. While it’s still unclear whether this will result in the Boozers leaving Durham, Lucas’ connection with the twins, who he played a significant role in recruiting to Duke, makes this a major development for the Hurricanes.
If Lucas can pull off this move, it would be a game-changer for the Miami program, turning the page on a rough season and signaling a massive return to relevance. The battle for the Boozer twins is heating up, and Miami just became a serious contender.
