Jai Lucas is a former basketball player and the head coach of the Miami Hurricanes men’s basketball team. He’s also served as an assistant at Texas, Kentucky, and Duke. He was Duke’s defensive coordinator and one of the nation’s most heralded assistant coaches and recruiters.
Lucas is from a well-known basketball family. His father, John Lucas II, was an All-American at Maryland who went on to a 14-year career in the NBA and was later the head coach of three NBA teams. His older brother, John Lucas III, was a star at Baylor and Oklahoma State.
Meet the Legendary bBasketball Family Behind Miami’s Head Coach
Jai Lucas is a former McDonald’s All-American (2007). His Father, John Lucas II, was the No.1 overall pick of the 1976 NBA Draft and was the head coach of the San Antonio Spurs, Philadelphia 76ers, and Cleveland Cavaliers after his 14-year NBA career.
Jai Lucas brings in his first portal class in Year 1 at Miami. How good will the Hurricanes be next season? pic.twitter.com/blTdFuKh0z
— The Field of 68 (@TheFieldOf68) May 8, 2025
John Lucas II played college basketball and tennis at the University of Maryland, College Park, and was an All-American in both sports. He was selected as the number one in 1976 by the Houston Rockets.
He served as a coach at San Antonio Spurs (1992-1994), Philadelphia 76ers (1994–1996), Denver Nuggets(1998–2001), Cleveland Cavaliers(assistant, 2001-2003), Los Angeles Clippers(2009–2010), Houston Rockets (assistant, 2020–2023),
John Lucas II mentored Kobe Bryant when he was in high school and Lucas was in Philadelphia and Jai Lucas used to workout with Bryant. Jai Lucas grew up around hoops and basketball runs in his blood.
“Jai has always been around elite basketball players at the highest level,” John II says. “A lot of kids who played for me when I coached early now have kids that are about to go into the league or are in the league. A lot in this class played for me, other classes that played for me. That tie of those kids, nothing beats deep relationships outside of on the court. For Jai, he’s 36 years old but he’s really 56 (with old wisdom).”
Jai’s older brother, John Lucas III, played college basketball at Baylor and Oklahoma State before playing eight seasons in the NBA and numerous others in the D-League and internationally.
He is famous for his winning shot against the Saint Joseph’s University team that sent the 2004 Oklahoma State Cowboys to the NCAA Final Four. He was undrafted in the 2005 NBA draft.
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Lucas III is a player development coach for the WNBA’s Las Vegas Aces after working as an NBA assistant with the Phoenix Suns, Los Angeles Lakers, and Minnesota Timberwolves.
The Hurricanes fans will hope that Jai Lucas brings his wealth of basketball experience and puts it to good use in Miami as he prepares to start his first-ever season as a head coach.
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