Jai Lucas' Departure from Florida

[revmel53]

Don't know the details of Lucas' departure from Florida, or where he might be considering, but does anyone think we would have interest? Of course if it's true that distance from home is an issue, we're no closer than Florida... But that just could be a smoke screen...

[CameronBornAndBred]

I wonder how hard Ky is going to go after him again. He doesn't sound in a rush to go anywhere.

[OZZIE4DUKE]

Don't know the details of Lucas' departure from Florida, or where he might be considering, but does anyone think we would have interest? Of course if it's true that distance from home is an issue, we're no closer than Florida... But that just could be a smoke screen...

Durham is a lot closer to Maryland than Florida is (I don't know where the Lucas' home turf is now, but I'm assuming it is somewhere in the northeast?)

And for what it's worth, I believe John Lucas, Jai's dad, is originally from Durham.

[Indoor66]

Durham is a lot closer to Maryland than Florida is (I don't know where the Lucas' home turf is now, but I'm assuming it is somewhere in the northeast?)

And for what it's worth, I believe John Lucas, Jai's dad, is originally from Durham.

He is a Hillside High grad where his father was Principal.

[CameronBornAndBred]

Did we do any recruiting of Jai at all? IIRC we were after Patterson, but not Lucas. Lots in Kentucky were hoping that Lucas would follow Patterson to Ky, which obviously didn't happen. From what I've read, Lucas was not happy to be playing SG, but if he wanted PT that's where he'd be at in Florida. Seems K might give him a look. If we are recruting Wall late in the game, might be worth it to look at Lucas early in his second time around.

[dougc33]

Lucas is the eighth Florida player to transfer since the 2003-04 season, a list that includes Mario Boggan, Ryan Appleby, Rashid Al-Kaleem, Mohamed Abukar, Jimmie Sutton, David Huertas and Jonathan Mitchell.

[jimsumner]

Lucas recruited Duke but Duke didn't return the interest.

I can't imagine Duke has any interest now.

[CameronBornAndBred]

Lucas recruited Duke but Duke didn't return the interest.

I can't imagine Duke has any interest now.

Thanks Jim. Like I said, I didn't remember us going after him the first time, I'm sure we had good reasons.

[dkbaseball]

Durham is a lot closer to Maryland than Florida is (I don't know where the Lucas' home turf is now, but I'm assuming it is somewhere in the northeast?)

And for what it's worth, I believe John Lucas, Jai's dad, is originally from Durham.

Houston, last I heard. That's where his kids grew up. If you'd come to Duke a year or two earlier, Ozzie, you would have had a chance to play gym rat with John. He would come down to Card Gym periodically while he was in high school and go at it.

[SilkyJ]

Lots in Kentucky were hoping that Lucas would follow Patterson to Ky, which obviously didn't happen.

IIRC, you've got it backwards. Lucas committed to Florida before Patterson committed and tried to get Patterson to follow him there, so you might say lots in Florida were hoping Patterson would follow Lucas, not the other way around. Either way, they could certainly be hoping Billy G is taking a look at him now...

[CameronBornAndBred]

IIRC, you've got it backwards. Lucas committed to Florida before Patterson committed and tried to get Patterson to follow him there, so you might say lots in Florida were hoping Patterson would follow Lucas, not the other way around. Either way, they could certainly be hoping Billy G is taking a look at him now...

Could be, you're probably right. I just remember them being billed as a hot packaged duo.

[BD80]

Could be, you're probably right. I just remember them being billed as a hot packaged duo.

Like John Wall and Ryan Kelly?

[Inonehand]

This Lucas is not your father's Lucas. I can't see us being interested...at all.

[AtlDuke72]

Houston, last I heard. That's where his kids grew up. If you'd come to Duke a year or two earlier, Ozzie, you would have had a chance to play gym rat with John. He would come down to Card Gym periodically while he was in high school and go at it.

I was a freshman in 1973 playing on the tennis team. One day Coach Cox had me play a skinny kid from Durham who was in his street cloths. It was John Lucas who wa about 12 or 13. He clobbered me. As I recall he won the ACC singles title at Maryland eventually. No doubt he could have been a top level player if he had not been a basketball player.

[77devil]

I was a freshman in 1973 playing on the tennis team. One day Coach Cox had me play a skinny kid from Durham who was in his street cloths. It was John Lucas who wa about 12 or 13. He clobbered me. As I recall he won the ACC singles title at Maryland eventually. No doubt he could have been a top level player if he had not been a basketball player.

That's an interesting rendition considering that John Lucas was finishing his freshman year at Maryland in the Spring of 1973. John was the ACC singles champion his senior year in 1976.

[miramar]

Lucas is the eighth Florida player to transfer since the 2003-04 season, a list that includes Mario Boggan, Ryan Appleby, Rashid Al-Kaleem, Mohamed Abukar, Jimmie Sutton, David Huertas and Jonathan Mitchell.

All schools lose recruits, obviously Duke included, but that number seems awfully high. Does anyone have an idea why this is happening?

I suspect that Duke and Florida will continue to compete for players, just as they did this year.

[AtlDuke72]

That's an interesting rendition considering that John Lucas was finishing his freshman year at Maryland in the Spring of 1973. John was the ACC singles champion his senior year in 1976.

Sorry for the incorrect year. It was 1969. When you get this old it is hard to keep it straight.

[jimsumner]

In case you're wondering, Duke did recruit John Lucas. This was during the period when the program, how should I say this politely, was somewhat unstable.

But Duke did try a tennis angle. While in high school, Lucas had played some junior doubles with Mark Meyers, who was a year or two older and was a top player at Duke. The idea of playing doubles with Meyers appealed to Lucas but not enough for him to say no to Lefty.

FWIW, Lucas was also a high-priority recruit for Dean Smith. Getting a player of his caliber away from Tobacco Road was considered a major recruiting victory for Driessell at the time. Still is.

Duke was still having trouble attracting top African American athletes in the early 1970s. Getting Lucas from Hillside could have changed that in a big way.

FWIW, Duke also had visits from Bill Walton, Greg Lee, Len Elmore, Mitch Kupchak, and David Thompson during this period, and was in the final six for Tom McMillen.

So whatever else we can blame Bucky Waters for, we can't say that he didn't aim high on the recruiting trail.

[AtlDuke72]

In case you're wondering, Duke did recruit John Lucas. This was during the period when the program, how should I say this politely, was somewhat unstable.

But Duke did try a tennis angle. While in high school, Lucas had played some junior doubles with Mark Meyers, who was a year or two older and was a top player at Duke. The idea of playing doubles with Meyers appealed to Lucas but not enough for him to say no to Lefty.

FWIW, Lucas was also a high-priority recruit for Dean Smith. Getting a player of his caliber away from Tobacco Road was considered a major recruiting victory for Driessell at the time. Still is.

Duke was still having trouble attracting top African American athletes in the early 1970s. Getting Lucas from Hillside could have changed that in a big way.

FWIW, Duke also had visits from Bill Walton, Greg Lee, Len Elmore, Mitch Kupchak, and David Thompson during this period, and was in the final six for Tom McMillen.

So whatever else we can blame Bucky Waters for, we can't say that he didn't aim high on the recruiting trail.

When Bucky brought in the class with Gary Melchionni, Jeff Dawson, Richie O'Connor, Alan Shaw and Jim Fitzgibbon we really thought the Devils were on their way to the top. The first three were really highly recruited and excellent players. Somehow it all fell apart.

[jimsumner]

"Gary Melchionni, Jeff Dawson, Richie O'Connor, Alan Shaw and Jim Fitzgibbon "

Yep, this team was undefeated as freshmen. But Fitzsimmons didn't even make it to the varsity before bailing. Dawson transferred to Illinois after his sophomore year, while O'Connor left for Fairfield in the middle of his junior year, only weeks after being named ACC POY for his role in leading Duke over UNC.

O'Connor and Waters didn't get along. To put it mildly.

Ironically, Melchionni was the only one of this group to ever suit up in the NBA and he had the most modest prep rep of the quintet. GM's older brother Bill was an All-America at Villanova and Gary most likely would have followed him there. But he waited for a scholarship offer that never came and got tired of waiting.

To Duke's benefit.

Leaving for the football game now. Later.