Top Duke basketball assistant coach leaving Blue Devils before ACC, NCAA Tournaments
One of Jon Scheyer’s top assistant coaches has a new job, just as the Blue Devils are on the verge of the postseason.
Jai Lucas, Duke’s associate head coach, signed a deal Wednesday to become the Miami Hurricanes’ new head coach and his official hiring was announced on Thursday morning.
A Duke assistant coach since 2022 when he left Kentucky to join Scheyer’s staff, the 36-year-old Lucas will be a first-time head coach when he takes over the Hurricanes, who are destined to finish in last place in the ACC this season. Miami (6-24, 2-17 ACC) will not qualify for next week’s ACC Tournament in Charlotte, meaning their final game is Saturday at noon against N.C. State.
That means Lucas needs to get to work building his new team. The NCAA Transfer Portal window opens March 24.
“I am incredibly grateful and honored to be the next head coach at the University of Miami,” Lucas said in a statement released by Miami. “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. The history, diversity, and passion for sports here are second to none. “I look forward to building on an incredible foundation and leading this program into an exciting new era. My family and I can’t wait to get to Coral Gables and get to work.”
Duke (27-3, 18-1 ACC) plays its final regular-season game Saturday at North Carolina. Lucas will be on the sideline that night before a press conference is held in Miami on Monday to introduce Lucas as the Hurricanes’ coach.
The Blue Devils, meanwhile, will be preparing to open their ACC Tournament play Thursday in Charlotte. Scheyer considers Lucas his team’s defensive coordinator, and Lucas has helped that defense play as well as anyone in the country this season. Duke is No. 4 nationally in defensive efficiency, according to KenPom.com.
That means the rest of Duke’s staff, including associate head coach Chris Carrawell and assistants Emanuel Dildy and Will Avery, will pick up things for the postseason as the Blue Devils chase the program’s sixth NCAA championship.
The son of two Durham natives, one being former NBA player John Lucas, Jai Lucas joined Duke after two seasons at Kentucky on John Calipari’s staff. He’d previously coached at Texas, where he also played during his college career.
That background is what attracted Lucas to Miami.
“We are excited to welcome Jai and his family to the Hurricane family,” Miami athletic director Dan Radakovich said in a statement. “Jai is an innovative coach, a relentless recruiter and proven talent developer whose knowledge and passion for the game resonated throughout the interview process. He has coached at some of college basketball’s most storied programs under tremendous head coaches. 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. We are fortunate to have Jai join us in Coral Gables.”
This story was originally published March 5, 2025 at 6:44 PM with the headline "Top Duke basketball assistant coach leaving Blue Devils before ACC, NCAA Tournaments."