Jai Lucas Highlights The Importance of Keeping Talent Home Entering Camp
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The Miami Hurricanes are back in camp and are preparing for the 2025-26 season under new head coach Jai Lucas.
Since his opening press conference, Lucas has had his focus set on keeping some of the top South Florida players home, and so far, his message has been successful.
"It was a big emphasis, especially early on, because you know you have to have, especially when you build a new program, you have to have some type of carrot, you know what I mean," Lucas said. "So getting kids to want to come back home and play at home, which is not as easy as it sounds, either, you know.
"I was one of those players who went back home and played at home, so understanding that messaging of being back around friends and family 24/7, that's a different layer that you have to add to it. It's important for me for the people, the players, the community of South Florida to feel like they have somewhere that's home, and I want that to be here.
One of those key players he pointed out was freshman Donte Allen.
"It was important for me, like when Dante decommitted from Villanova," Lucas said. "I've watched Dante play for 3 years. Uh, so, I knew exactly what Dante was about. his intangibles, his family, his demeanor on the court. So, as soon as he decommitted, he was one of the first people that I identified. I think my first day on the job, I think I went up to Orlando to go see him."
Allen is one of the many examples of the type of talent that Lucas wants in Coral Gables. Hardworking players who also understand the community as well as the expectations set on them. The Hurricanes have a plan, and Lucas is the man pushing for the future.
Justice Sandle is a graduate of Mississippi State University and is the site lead for the Miami Hurricanes on SI. He can be reached at Twitter @Justice_News5.
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Justice Sandle is a graduate of Mississippi State University earning a Bachelor of Arts and Science in Communications with a concentration in Print and Digital Journalism. During his time in Starkville, he spent a year as an intern working for Mississippi State On SI primarily covering basketball, football, baseball, and soccer while writing, recording, and creating multimedia stories during his tenor. Since graduating, he has assumed the role of lead staff writer for Miami Hurricanes On SI covering football, basketball, baseball, and all things Hurricanes related.