The Miami Hurricanes have gained a lot of attention with their success on the football field, which means the basketball squad will have a challenge to live up to their level of hype. The program is excited for the upcoming hoops season as it enters a fresh new chapter. They hired Jai Lucas as their new leader on the sidelines, who has had tremendous success at the collegiate level with Texas, Kentucky, and previously at Duke.
Lucas is a defensive-minded coach, which was also his top priority at Duke. As one of the nation's top recruiters, that was still his focus during the roster construction.
"In the way I built the team, I really wanted to add great size," he said. "We do have great size and great physicality; we should be able to be really good defensively."
Lucas mentioned that they'll focus on developing offense during the course of the season.
Alluding to the size comments, the Hurricanes' average height on the court is 6-5. They only have two centers on the roster: freshman Salih Altuntas, who is listed at 6-10, and senior transfer Ernest Udeh Jr., 6-11.
It would not be surprising if Lucas rolls with a small-ball lineup at some point during the season. However, he mentioned that the team has the versatility to "play a bunch of different ways," which excites him.
Another interesting note about the roster is that more than half the players are Florida natives, which was intentional.
"The pride of putting on the colors, the pride of putting into you of knowing your family is going to be there every night," Lucas said. "This is somewhere where you are from and people are watching you. It just adds a different level of competitiveness spirit to you."
Lucas mentioned his playing days in his hometown, Texas, and knowing that pride.
The roster has either freshman recruits or transfers, a clean slate for everyone, including guard Tre Donaldson. Last season, at Michigan, he averaged 11.3 points, 3.5 rebounds, 4.1 assists, and shot 43.3 percent from the field, 37.5 percent from three-point range in 37 appearances.
"I feel like there's a sense of pride," he said about the roster having so many Florida natives. "We're playing for our state. So I feel like that sense of pride kicks in and it's going to give us somewhat of a chip."
He also mentioned how little of a challenge it's actually been for the team to build chemistry, as most of the players either had previous stints together or competed against one another.
"It's easier for us to build that camaraderie with everybody else because we are so close," Donaldson added.
Malik Reneau, forward, is another exciting new piece, transferring from Indiana. Last season, he averaged 13.3 points, 5.5 rebounds, two assists, and shot 55.2 percent from the field in 26 appearances.
"When you say bonding, I think that definitely helps out," Reneau said about the roster's more local appearance. "I knew Ernest and Tre just from being in the state of Florida. Having that sense of ideal that 'I know that guy', it gives me more comfort to feel free on the court."
The program is seeking redemption after a devastating 7-24 season last year and to return to similar success as in 2023, when it reached the Final Four in the NCAA tournament.
The Hurricanes will take on the reigning champion Florida Gators on Nov. 16th, which should be an ecstatic in-state matchup. It will also be a test of how the team is progressing at that point in the season.