New University of Miami men’s basketball coach Jai Lucas vowed to shake things up — and he’s already making waves. On Monday, Lucas announced the signing of five-star recruit, a standout from Houston who had previously committed to Duke. He changed course to join Lucas, his lead recruiter at Duke and a fellow Bellaire High School alum. The 6-foot-6, 220-pound small forward is ranked No. 21 nationally and the No. 4 player at his position in the 2025 class by 247Sports.
“He is someone I’ve known for a long time,” Lucas said. “He’s got a great motor and toughness, but what excites me most is the leadership and presence he’ll bring to our program.”
Shelton Henderson was named All-Greater Houston Player of the Year and earned the Guy V. Lewis Award after putting up 22.3 points, 7.5 rebounds, 4 assists, and 3 steals per game in his senior season. He shot an impressive 69% from the field and led Bellaire to the 6A Division I state title game. On the national stage, he won gold with Team USA at the FIBA U18 AmeriCup, averaging 8 points and 4.5 boards over six games. He also made noise on the EYBL circuit and at Nike’s Peach Jam last summer.
Originally part of Duke’s top-ranked recruiting class with Miami twins Cameron and Cayden Boozer, Henderson recently requested a release from his letter of intent. Miami and Houston were among the top contenders for his commitment.
He becomes Miami’s second top-50 recruit from the 2025 class, joining four-star guard Dante Allen, ranked No. 41 by ESPN. Allen, son of Miami Heat assistant Malik Allen, had been committed to Villanova before flipping to the Hurricanes as Lucas’ first high school signing. A Miami native, Allen led Riviera Prep to two straight state championships before transferring to Montverde Academy. At Riviera, he averaged 21 points, 7.8 rebounds, 3.4 steals, and 3 assists, earning back-to-back Miami Herald 4A-2A Player of the Year honors. He’ll reunite with his former AAU coach, Andrew Moran, who was recently hired by Lucas as an assistant and director of player development.
Lucas has also added international talent with Slovakian wing Timotej Malovec and brought in four transfers: Tre Donaldson (Michigan), Malik Reneau (Indiana), Ernest Udeh (TCU), and Tru Washington (New Mexico).
Lucas takes over for longtime coach Jim Larrañaga, who retired after leading Miami to the Elite Eight in 2022 and the Final Four in 2023. The program struggled in 2024-25, finishing last in the ACC.
Joining Lucas’ staff are several familiar South Florida names: Charlton “C.Y.” Young, a coaching veteran and Miami Gardens native, is the associate head coach. Erik Pastrana, formerly at Georgia and a Wellington High alum, also comes on as an associate coach. LJ Rose, a Houston Rockets scout and GM of the Bahamian national team, is the new Director of Player Personnel. Strength coach Zack Zillner arrives from Texas women’s basketball, while Riley Welch, who worked in the G League with the Grand Rapids Gold, will serve as special assistant. Jeff Dyer will continue in his role as director of operations, which he has held since 2021.