Hurricanes head coach Jai Lucas is not only winning fast at such a high-level program like the Miami Hurricanes, he’s already breaking records, if you can say.
The one-year Hurricanes head coach, who hasn’t even been at Miami for a full year, has already racked up 20 wins over the course of 25 games.
Jai Lucas is the fastest first-time head coach in the ACC to reach 20 wins since Bill Guthridge at UNC in 1997-98.
Bill Guthridge you may ask? UNC legend. Took over from Dean Smith in ’97 and went 39-17 in just two seasons. Back-to-back Final Fours, a trip to the national title game in ’98.
That’s the bar Jai Lucas is already chasing in the ACC.
Many fans, maybe even the national media, were questioning this hire for the Miami Hurricanes. Why not go the easy route and get a head coach already ready?
Nope. The Hurricanes chose the Duke associate head coach, and it’s worked out incredibly well.
Like I said, Lucas hasn’t even been here for a full year yet. He already brought in a top-15 portal class last season, is currently ranked inside the top-15 for the 2026 class, and is winning on the court.
In the span of just seven days, Lucas took down the No. 11 team in the country at North Carolina, never giving up the lead, and then outcoached Will Wade, who had been a great coach at McNeese State before moving to NC State, in the final minutes of the game, giving up just seven points in the matter of a minute.
Let’s be honest with a show of hands, who really expected us to be this good, especially being out Marcus Allen, who’s a solid depth piece? Not many, I guess. I was looking at maybe 18-19 wins, but nope, we’re on track to possibly win 22, 23, or maybe even 24 games this season.
Heck, I love it though. Go Canes, and go Jai Lucas!
The one-year Hurricanes head coach, who hasn’t even been at Miami for a full year, has already racked up 20 wins over the course of 25 games.
Jai Lucas is the fastest first-time head coach in the ACC to reach 20 wins since Bill Guthridge at UNC in 1997-98.
Bill Guthridge you may ask? UNC legend. Took over from Dean Smith in ’97 and went 39-17 in just two seasons. Back-to-back Final Fours, a trip to the national title game in ’98.
That’s the bar Jai Lucas is already chasing in the ACC.
Many fans, maybe even the national media, were questioning this hire for the Miami Hurricanes. Why not go the easy route and get a head coach already ready?
Nope. The Hurricanes chose the Duke associate head coach, and it’s worked out incredibly well.
Like I said, Lucas hasn’t even been here for a full year yet. He already brought in a top-15 portal class last season, is currently ranked inside the top-15 for the 2026 class, and is winning on the court.
In the span of just seven days, Lucas took down the No. 11 team in the country at North Carolina, never giving up the lead, and then outcoached Will Wade, who had been a great coach at McNeese State before moving to NC State, in the final minutes of the game, giving up just seven points in the matter of a minute.
Let’s be honest with a show of hands, who really expected us to be this good, especially being out Marcus Allen, who’s a solid depth piece? Not many, I guess. I was looking at maybe 18-19 wins, but nope, we’re on track to possibly win 22, 23, or maybe even 24 games this season.
Heck, I love it though. Go Canes, and go Jai Lucas!
