Jai Lucas

Jai Lucas
Born	(1988-12-05) December 5, 1988 Bellaire, Texas, U.S.
Occupation(s)	Basketball coach, former player
Years active	2007–present
Known for	Head coach of Miami Hurricanes men's basketball team; former Texas Longhorns player

Jai Powell Lucas (born December 5, 1988) is a former American basketball player who has transitioned into coaching and currently leads the Miami Hurricanes men’s basketball program as head coach. During his collegiate playing days, he represented the Texas Longhorns.

Playing career

Standing 5 feet 10 inches tall and playing as a point guard from Bellaire, Texas, Lucas was recognized as a McDonald's All American and ranked 20th nationally by ESPN in the 2007 high school recruiting class. He launched his college basketball journey at the University of Florida, where he posted averages of 8.5 points and 2.3 assists in his freshman year. Prior to his sophomore season, he transferred to the University of Texas, sitting out the 2008–09 campaign due to NCAA transfer regulations. Over two seasons at Texas, he contributed roughly 3 points and 1 assist per game.

Lucas pursued a professional playing career from 2011 through 2013, including a tenure with BK Valmiera and multiple assignments in the NBA G League with teams such as the Idaho Stampede, Sioux Falls Skyforce, and Canton Charge.

Coaching

Shortly after concluding his professional playing career in August 2013, Lucas was hired by the Texas Longhorns as an assistant coach under head coach Rick Barnes, where he played a key role in managing internal basketball operations. He continued in this role when Shaka Smart succeeded Barnes in 2015.

In 2020, Lucas joined the coaching staff at the University of Kentucky under John Calipari as a special assistant and primary recruiter. During the 2021–22 season, he earned recognition as the nation’s second-best recruiter, trailing only Duke’s associate head coach Jon Scheyer.

Following Scheyer’s promotion to Duke head coach in 2022, Lucas was brought on as an assistant coach—marking the first time in three decades that Duke hired an assistant without prior playing experience for the Blue Devils.

On March 6, 2025, Lucas was named head coach of the Miami Hurricanes men’s basketball team.

Family

Basketball excellence runs in Lucas's family. His father, John Lucas II, was an All-American at Maryland and enjoyed a 14-year NBA career before coaching three teams at the NBA level. His elder brother, John Lucas III, had collegiate success at both Baylor and Oklahoma State, played two seasons with the Houston Rockets, competed professionally in Italy's top league (Lega Basket Serie A), and most recently appeared for the Minnesota Timberwolves.

External links

• Texas Longhorns bio
• NBA D-League Profile