Miami Hurricanes men’s basketball hit rock bottom two years ago as longtime head coach Jim Larrañaga stepped down midway through the year and a program-low 7-24 record.
In-stepped then-36-year-old Jai Lucas following the season, and immediately turned the program around with a 19-win improvement tying the largest single-season turnaround in NCAA men’s basketball history.
Now, with a year of coaching under his belt and more experience for the young talent, expectations are high for the No.14-ranked Canes.
The X-factors for the Hurricanes will be sophomore forward Shelton Henderson and fifth-year senior forward Malik Reneau, who was granted another year of eligibility following a temporary restraining order against the NCAA.
Henderson earned preseason All-ACC First Team honors, while Reneau earned Second Team honors. Last season, Reneau led Miami in scoring, averaging 18.9 points per game, and also grabbed 6.5 rebounds per game. Henderson averaged 13.8 points and 4.9 rebounds as a true freshman and is expected to take a leap in his second year.
“There’s a little bit more expectation for him to deliver,” said Lucas. “He’s shown his growth in that and being comfortable with having to deliver and having to be a little bit counted on. He is one of those guys that we are looking for game to game to be able to kind of carry us a little bit.”
For young talent, look out for true freshman forward Caleb Gaskins. The second-highest-rated recruit in program history, according to 247Sports Composite rankings, Gaskins enters Miami as one of the most highly touted prospects the program has ever signed.
“He represents everything we want to be about as a program both as a basketball player and as a young man,” Lucas said about Gaskins.
The five-star forward also earned McDonald’s All-American honors and arrives in Coral Gables with a chance to make an immediate impact in Miami’s rotation.
Through the transfer portal, the Canes bring in a litany of talent that is ready to start right away. Villanova transfer guard Acaden Lewis, former Georgia center Somto Cyril and Robert Morris transfer forward DeSean Goode all give Miami a chance to build on a remarkable 2025-26 campaign.
With both young stars and experienced vets, the Hurricanes are poised for a potential deep run into the NCAA tournament this year.
The season tips off Monday, Nov. 2, against the No.1 Florida Gators in Tampa, Fla. Game time at Benchmark International Arena is set for 6 p.m. and will air on ESPN2.