In only his first season on the job, Jai Lucas did extraordinary things at Miami. Not only did he lead the Canes to the NCAA Tournament, but they got to the Round of 32. He has been a breath of fresh air for a program trying to redefine its next chapter after Jim Larrañaga's brilliant run came to an end. Lucas had never been a head coach before, but he seems to be well on his way toward becoming a rockstar.
Here is who On3's Joe Tipton has listed as the 10 teams who won the most during the transfer portal.
- Louisville Cardinals
- Texas Longhorns
- Indiana Hoosiers
- Tennessee Volunteers
- Miami Hurricanes
- Xavier Musketeers
- Michigan Wolverines
- Missouri Tigers
- Houston Cougars
- Vanderbilt Commodores
For Lucas to have a top-five transfer portal class only two years into his Miami run speaks volumes.
NEW: College Basketball Transfer Portal Winners by Additions🏀
— On3 (@On3) May 10, 2026
(via @JoeTipton)https://t.co/tkEmXsALw4 pic.twitter.com/SaUEXv0hoU
For those who may need a quick refresher, these are the players Miami brought in through the portal.
- SG Nick Dorn (Indiana Hoosiers)
- SG Brent Bland (Saint Peter's Peacocks)
- CG Acaden Lewis (Villanova Wildcats)
- C Somto Cyril (Georgia Bulldogs)
- PF DeSean Goode (Robert Morris Colonials)
- PG Quin Berger (Bucknell Bison)
Now that Miami has made its presence felt in the ACC, will the Canes take the next step in 2026-27?
Jai Lucas builds off first-year success with tremendous Miami portal class
Whether it be combo guard Acaden Lewis coming over from Villanova, or center Somto Cyril making his way to Coral Gables from Georgia, Miami's offseason additions have certainly impressed those in the know. Needless to say, the future looks bright for Lucas at Miami. The question now is will Miami be able to build off last year's triumphant success or not. The sophomore slump is a very real thing...
Look. Miami knew what it was doing by hiring Lucas off Jon Scheyer's staff at Duke two years ago. He may not have been groomed by Mike Krzyzewski, but the guy can coach. We all saw that last season. More importantly, Lucas seems to be the type of head coach on the sidelines players want to go hard for. When Miami is playing well, the Canes have a certain flair about them. Lucas seems to embody it.
Right now, there is no reason to not have Miami among the teams in contention to be Duke's most formidable challenger in the ACC. Of course, Tipton's pick for the top transfer portal class in this past cycle happens to be another traditional power over in the ACC in Louisville. Pat Kelsey could have a special season on the hardwood at U of L. Of course, Miami is a program to not be taken lightly either.
When it comes to teams led by second-year head coaches, few have the optimism that Miami does.
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