Jai Lucas
Encyclopedia
Jai Lucas is a NCAA college basketball player for the Texas Longhorns
. He was a McDonald's All American and was rated 20th by ESPN
class of 2007. Lucas previously played for the University of Florida
, but decided to transfer from the Florida Gators men's basketball
team, due to lack of playing time at his favored position of point guard
. Though Lucas started for the Gators, he was moved out of his natural position to that of the shooting guard
in the starting rotation, because teammate Nick Calathes
was favored at the point guard
position. He averaged just below double figures in scoring, and also has 2.3 assists per game. In November 2008, Lucas announced his intentions to transfer from Florida. Jai Lucas announced his intention to transfer to Texas December 28th, 2008.
Lucas is from a well-known basketball family. His father, John Lucas II
, was an All-American at Maryland
who went on to a 14-year career in the NBA
and was later head coach of three NBA teams. His older brother, John Lucas III, was a star at Baylor
and Oklahoma State who played two seasons for the Houston Rockets
, then continued his career in Italy, and currently plays for the Chicago Bulls
.
Texas Longhorns men's basketball
The Texas Longhorns men's basketball team represents The University of Texas at Austin in NCAA Division I men's basketball competition. The Longhorns currently compete in the Big 12 Conference....
. He was a McDonald's All American and was rated 20th by ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
class of 2007. Lucas previously played for the University of Florida
University of Florida
The University of Florida is an American public land-grant, sea-grant, and space-grant research university located on a campus in Gainesville, Florida. The university traces its historical origins to 1853, and has operated continuously on its present Gainesville campus since September 1906...
, but decided to transfer from the Florida Gators men's basketball
Florida Gators men's basketball
The Florida Gators men's basketball team represents the University of Florida in the sport of basketball. The Gators compete in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I and the Southeastern Conference...
team, due to lack of playing time at his favored position of point guard
Point guard
Point guard , also called the play maker or "the ball-handler", is one of the standard positions in a regulation basketball game. A point guard has perhaps the most specialized role of any position – essentially, he is expected to run the team's offense by controlling the ball and making sure that...
. Though Lucas started for the Gators, he was moved out of his natural position to that of the shooting guard
Shooting guard
The shooting guard , also known as the two or off guard, is one of five traditional positions on a basketball team. Players of the position are often shorter, leaner, and quicker than forwards. A shooting guard's main objective is to score points for his team...
in the starting rotation, because teammate Nick Calathes
Nick Calathes
Nicholas William "Nick" Calathes is an American-born Greek professional basketball player. Calathes played American college basketball for the University of Florida. He currently plays for Panathinaikos, the Athens, Greece affiliate of the EuroLeague.-High school career:Calathes was born in...
was favored at the point guard
Point guard
Point guard , also called the play maker or "the ball-handler", is one of the standard positions in a regulation basketball game. A point guard has perhaps the most specialized role of any position – essentially, he is expected to run the team's offense by controlling the ball and making sure that...
position. He averaged just below double figures in scoring, and also has 2.3 assists per game. In November 2008, Lucas announced his intentions to transfer from Florida. Jai Lucas announced his intention to transfer to Texas December 28th, 2008.
Lucas is from a well-known basketball family. His father, John Lucas II
John Lucas II
John Harding Lucas II is a retired American professional basketball player and a current assistant coach for the Los Angeles Clippers.-Basketball playing career and substance abuse:...
, was an All-American at Maryland
Maryland Terrapins men's basketball
The Maryland Terrapins men's basketball team represents the University of Maryland in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I competition...
who went on to a 14-year career in the NBA
National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
and was later head coach of three NBA teams. His older brother, John Lucas III, was a star at Baylor
Baylor Bears
Baylor Bears refers to the sports teams of Baylor University. Baylor's men's sports teams are nicknamed the Bears, and some women's teams are nicknamed the Lady Bears. Student athletes participate in the NCAA's Division I, and Baylor is the only private school in the Big 12 Conference...
and Oklahoma State who played two seasons for the Houston Rockets
Houston Rockets
The Houston Rockets are an American professional basketball team based in Houston, Texas. The team plays in the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was established in 1967, and played in San Diego, California for four years, before being...
, then continued his career in Italy, and currently plays for the Chicago Bulls
Chicago Bulls
The Chicago Bulls are an American professional basketball team based in Chicago, Illinois, playing in the Central Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was founded in 1966. They play their home games at the United Center...
.