Reports: Miami hires Duke assistant Jai Lucas as head coach

Field Level Media|published: Wed 5th March, 18:33 2025

NCAA Basketball: Duke Countdown to Craziness

Oct 21, 2022; Durham, North Carolina, US; Duke Blue Devils assistant coach Jai Lucas during Countdown to Craziness at Cameron Indoor Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rob Kinnan-Imagn Images

The Miami Hurricanes are hiring Duke associated head coach Jai Lucas as their next head coach, according to multiple reports.

Longtime Hurricanes head coach Jim Larranaga stepped down 12 games into the 2024-25 season, and Bill Courtney has filled in as the interim head coach.

Lucas, 36, has been with Duke since May 2022 and was promoted from assistant to associate head coach in June 2023. Considered a top recruiter, he also is the defensive coordinator for the No. 2 Blue Devils.

He previously served as an assistant coach at Kentucky (2020-22) under John Calipari and Texas (2016-20) under Shaka Smart.

The Blue Devils reside in first place in the ACC (18-1) with a 27-3 overall record. Lucas will look to translate some of that success to a spiraling Miami team, which is last in the ACC at 2-17 with a 6-24 overall record.

Despite the down season, the Hurricanes are still only two years removed from making the Final Four.

--Field Level Media