For newly hired Duke men’s basketball assistant, Jai Lucas, his role with the Blue Devils is another accomplishment to add to his stacked resume.
Originally from Houston, the young coach has been surrounded by the game of basketball his whole life. His father, John Lucas II, played in the NBA for 14 years, and his brother John Lucas III played professionally as well.
Many people would assume he would receive a massive amount of pressure from his family when it came to playing basketball, but this was never the case.
“People on the outside always had more so of their opinions and expectations of what they thought I should and shouldn’t be,” Lucas said.
Lucas was a highly touted recruit coming out of Houston Bellaire High, ranked as the 20th best player in the nation by ESPN in 2007.
He would go on to play collegiate basketball at the University of Florida before transferring home to the University of Texas.
(Texas’ Jai Lucas during an NCAA college basketball game/AP Photo by Tony Gutierrez)
Following his time in college, Lucas would have a short-lived professional career. After playing two seasons in the NBA developmental league and one season overseas, he would retire at age 24.
“My goal like any basketball player was to play in the NBA […] I didn’t give myself enough time to plan to get to where my dream was,” Lucas said.
His plans were not always to be a coach, but when relationships that were formed at the University of Texas came back to light, he knew it was an opportunity he couldn’t pass up.
“When I saw the opportunity to start my coaching career at my alma mater and to start at a high level within the division one ranks, it was too good of an opportunity at a young age to turn down,” Lucas said.
In August 2013, just four months after his playing career ended, he was hired by Coach Rick Barnes as a special assistant. Here is where he would start making a name for himself in the coaching aspect of the game.
During his seven seasons spent coaching at Texas, he worked as a special assistant, director of basketball operations, and assistant coach.
Working under both Barnes and Shaka Smart, he helped develop two lottery pick players during their time at Texas, with Mohamed Bamba and Jaxon Hayes. He also played a huge role in recruiting, helping the Longhorns land three top-20 classes during his time.
After developing several great recruiting classes at his time in Texas, the University of Kentucky offered Lucas a job as a recruiting coordinator, but he quickly transitioned into a full-time assistant coaching role for the 2020-21 basketball season.
This is where, it is safe to say, Lucas became one of the nation’s best recruiters.
In his two seasons at Kentucky, he brought in five players who appeared in either the McDonald’s All-American game or Jordan Brand Classic games, as well as bringing in number one prospect Shaedon Sharpe.
He credits his relatability and familiarity with the game, to his success in both recruiting fields and in developing players.
“I was somewhere where I played and started every game, then I’ve also been in the role where I haven’t played in games. I have done a little bit of everything in basketball and that helps me relate to everyone on the team,” Lucas said.
Aside from recruiting, Lucas also has helped develop great players as well. This past season he played a huge role in developing Kentucky guards, Sahvir Wheeler and TyTy Washington Jr.
When speaking on what makes Lucas so good at his job, Wheeler credits Lucas’ ability to form true relationships with each player, along with his personality.
“He is able to build relationships with each player because he is younger and has played the game at this level […] he always keeps an open line of communication with me even from outside of a basketball standpoint,” Wheeler said.
Lucas’ coaching efforts were recognized prior to the start of the 2021-2022 season as he was featured in The Athletics 40 under 40 most influential people in basketball list.
The list highlights coaches, writers, executives, administrators, analysts, and many more who are involved in the game of basketball that have a bright future ahead of them.
Lucas is now moving forward, as he was recently hired by Duke Head Coach John Scheyer to serve as an assistant coach on his inaugural staff.
(Lucas shares his move to Duke on Instagram/ @jai.luc via Instagram)
He mentions looking forward to what this young staff has to offer.
“This gives me the opportunity to step more into a basketball coaching and teaching role, rather than a primarily recruiting role. Being with younger people will be a little bit more collaborative,” Lucas said.
College basketball is everchanging with the rise of new coaching staffs and Jai Lucas’ arrival at Duke is another piece to this fascinating puzzle.
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