Jai Lucas played a major role as Duke's associate head coach last season, helping develop a team that eventually reached the Final Four before coming up short in heartbreaking fashion. Unfortunately, Lucas didn't get to finish the season with Duke, leaving before the ACC Tournament and March Madness to take over as head coach at Miami (FL). For Blue Devils fans, seeing Lucas leave immediately after the regular season was understandable but disappointing nonetheless.
It wasn't long before the Blue Devils were reminded of what they were losing in him: an elite recruiter. That became evident when he flipped five-star Shelton Henderson's commitment from Duke to Miami. Lucas had a strong debut season with the Hurricanes, finishing 26-9 and third in the ACC, earning a No. 7 seed in the NCAA Tournament. After falling in the Round of 32 to Purdue, a clip of a teary-eyed Lucas addressing his team made its rounds on social media - and it wasn't the first time he'd shown his leadership this season.
Heartfelt postgame clip shows Jai Lucas is the right man for Miami
It's never easy ending the season, whether as a player or a coach. You never know who will be back the next year, especially with the transfer portal running rampant and NIL continuing to reshape the college basketball landscape. Following the loss to Purdue, that emotion was on full display in the Miami locker room, where Jai Lucas showed he gave everything he had as the first-year coach of the Hurricanes.
Forever grateful for this group.
— Canes Men’s Basketball (@CanesHoops) March 24, 2026
Our foundation. Our family.#Relentless x #GoCanes pic.twitter.com/orRf4D4GLV
That's the kind of moment that reminds you how special college basketball is and why we watch. And Lucas is right - Miami should be nothing but proud of what they accomplished this year. They didn't back down against No. 2 Purdue on Sunday, even taking a two-point lead into the break. Eventually, the Boilermakers were the ones who kept dancing with a final score of 79-69, but the Canes battled every minute.
Now that some time has passed since the loss, Miami fans have plenty to be excited about. In his first year, Coach Lucas far exceeded expectations, establishing the Hurricanes as a team to watch in the ACC for years to come. Sure, we miss him at Duke, and yes, it stings a little that he's in the ACC, but it's great to see him thriving as the first branch of the Jon Scheyer coaching tree. Meanwhile, the Blue Devils have remained dominant, so it's a win-win all around.
Of course, Duke is still in the Big Dance, facing a tough Friday night matchup in Washington, D.C., against No. 5 St. John's, with a trip to the Elite Eight on the line. The Blue Devils have a few things to iron out before tipoff, though they match up well against the Johnnies. Even so, that hasn't stopped the critics from doubting Duke once again, and the Blue Devils will be looking to prove them wrong.