Duke head coach Jon Scheyer is frustrated after reports emerged regarding the future of one of his top assistant coaches.
Reports emerged Sunday suggesting Duke assistant Jai Lucas is the primary focus of Miami’s head coaching search. While no deal is done, the report suggests Lucas is favored to land the job once the college basketball season wraps up.
The timing of the report was hugely frustrating for Scheyer. Not only do Duke and Miami play each other on Tuesday, but the Blue Devils also harbor championship aspirations, and Scheyer admitted Monday that the leak makes their job a bit tougher.
“It comes with the territory of the job we signed up for to be able to handle unusual situations well. Clearly this wasn’t thought out well enough,” Scheyer said. “Jai is one of my best friends in the world. Me and him are always going to be great. … There’s more that’s involved than just Jai and I. You think about the Miami staff and the job they’re trying to do right now. The Miami players. Obviously, our players and what we’re trying to do. Our thing is to really block it out and stay in the moment until anything becomes final.
“It’s not ideal by any means. I don’t think it’s fair to their players. … I think it’s the day and age we’re in going forward. I don’t know about the timing and how that’s going to operate. The portal’s different now. This is a little bit of a different world. I have a lot of thoughts, but I do know that Jai Lucas is the ultimate pro, class act. He’ll do everything to handle this situation the best way possible, starting with doing his job coaching for Duke.”
The timing of the reveal obviously bothered Scheyer. He also brings up concerns about the transfer portal, which are valid. The portal opens March 24, and it is entirely possible that Duke will still be playing in the NCAA Tournament at that point. That creates the risk of Miami falling behind because they would not formally have a coach in place if Lucas remains with Duke until their season ends.
Lucas is a key member of Scheyer’s staff. His official title is associate head coach, and he is also the Blue Devils’ defensive coordinator. He is also regarded as one of the nation’s top recruiters.
Former Miami coach Jim Larranaga resigned in December, citing issues with coaching in the NIL era. Bill Courtney has been serving as the interim coach since then.
Miami is just 6-21 as of Monday and sit last in the ACC with a 2-14 record. In contrast, the Blue Devils are 24-3 and among the favorites to win the national championship this season.
