Jai Lucas hasn't even finished his first season at Miami, and the "how long until somebody tries to poach him?" talk is already here.
After Miami's 75-66 win over then-No. 11 North Carolina on Tuesday, a Duke-oriented account posted that Lucas' "coaching stock is rising fast" and suggested that, in "a year or two," he could move on to a "higher-profile" job.
No disrespect to Miami, but give head coach Jai Lucas another year or two, and it won’t be long before he moves on to higher-profile basketball programs. His coaching stock is rising fast, just like it did at Duke, which comes as no surprise. Great win for Miami! pic.twitter.com/HvZq761l23
— Blue Devil Voices (@DukeEchoes) February 11, 2026
Miami hired Lucas to a five-year contract on March 6, 2025, after he spent three seasons at Duke, including time as associate head coach. The early returns seem to indicate that Miami made the correct decision.
Miami improved to 19-5 overall and 8-3 in the ACC with the UNC win, holding the Tar Heels to 26.5% shooting in the second half, including 1-of-14 from 3-point range. It was the program's first win over a ranked team since Jan. 3, 2024. That kind of signature win has caught the attention of the entire college basketball world.
But, the idea of a higher profile job being the next step for Lucas is something that Miami fans will push back on.
The Hurricanes aren't some mid-major stepping stone. This is an ACC job in a talent-rich state with a program that has shown a high ceiling recently. Former Hurricanes HC Jim Larranaga took Miami to its first Final Four in 2023 and its first Elite Eight in 2022.
If Lucas wins in Coral Gables, he doesn't need to go somewhere else to continue his coaching career. He could truly win a national championship at Miami, and the Hurricanes would be competing on the same level as the schools that usually do the poaching.
The more realistic question is what does Miami have to do to make sure he is never tempted to leave. And that likely boils down to NIL money and other forms of investment to support Lucas — which Miami will 100% be able to provide him.