LSU and Will Wade Opens the Door For Jai Lucas and Standout Blue-Chip Recruit
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The Miami Hurricanes are retooling for Jai Lucas's Sophomore season, and it starts with bringing a new squad together.
The Hurricanes have lost one player to the transfer portal, while others are still undecided. The Canes are patiently waiting for Shelton Henderson to decide whether he will return or test the waters of the NBA Draft Combine.
Even if he takes that route, many still expect him to return for a second season to improve his draft stock and try to rise into a lottery pick in his sophomore season. The Canes are also bringing in five-star McDonald's All-American power forward Caleb Gaskins for the 2026-27 season. But now the Hurricanes might have found themselves a highly recruited talent for next season.
Similar to Dante Allen's situation at Villanova, where he first committed and signed, LSU has parted ways with Matt McMahon, and the return of Will Wade has opened the door for a top-100 player for Lucas.
Four-star Kevin Thomas has requested his release from NLI with the Tigers and will open his recruiting.
NEWS: 4⭐️ Kevin Thomas has requested his release from LSU and will reopen his recruitment, his agent KJ Smith told @Rivals.
— Joe Tipton (@JoeTipton) March 28, 2026
The 6-7 small forward is a top-100 recruit in the 2026 class. https://t.co/we5Rt4uo5I pic.twitter.com/oN267XVKIs
Miami was a finalist for the 6-foot-7-inch Fort Lauderdale, FL native, along with Auburn and Florida State. Lucas's message has remained consistent with bringing the best talent in Florida to Miami; up the road is one of the best.
Coming up today on the @CBSSportsCBB channel:
— Adam Finkelstein (@AdamFinkelstein) October 17, 2025
Kevin Thomas, one of the best athletes in the country, announces his decision at 3:30pm ET.
📺 https://t.co/orBoduOEiT pic.twitter.com/95vGIp0T8x
The Hurricanes could be the best landing stop for him, but Jai Lucas also have other plans.
What is next for the Hurricanes Roster?
Key Returners:
• Shelton Henderson
• Dante Allen
• Marcus Allen
• Timotej Malovec
Recruits:
• Caleb Gaskins
The Miami Hurricanes haven't had any major movement from their roster as they spend another weekend at home. The only negative has been Tru Washington, who plans on entering the transfer portal.
Allen, Henderson, and Gaskins are the backbone of the team, but the Canes still need another big man on the roster, especially with the look of the Final Four this season. Adapting has been the calling card for the Canes.
They also need a point guard who could come from the portal. Moreover, more teams will start to have players enter, and the deeper the pool, the more that Lucas will have to look for.
The Hurricanes look to get past the round of 32 next season, but that starts with having the right players in the right program.
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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.
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