Caleb Gaskins Keeps Winning From State Champ to All-American
For Jai Lucas, life just keeps on getting better and with the same breath so has life for Caleb Gaskins. Everything seems to be lining up perfectly for both of them, and at this point it almost feels scripted.
After winning a state title with Columbus High School (funny enough this is their second straight year getting someone into the Mickey D’s game), playing with the Boozer twins (who each of them are on a tear in college basketball. Cameron looks like he’s a sure fire top five pick and his Duke team looks like they’re preparing for another national championship title run), to committing to his hometown University of Miami Hurricanes, and now being named a McDonalds All-American, Gaskins has basically speed-ran the high school basketball experience.
For Gaskins this is yet another milestone he can knock off on his basketball resume before he leaves the ranks of high school basketball.
Gaskins literally checks all of the boxes. First and foremost, he’s a a five-star prospect. Secondly, he’s a McDonald’s All-American, and a member of the Naismith High School Player of the Year Midseason Team. Most importantly, he’s the second-highest rated recruit in University of Miami history according to the 247Sports Composite rankings.
Now let’s talk about on the court because Gaskins, is currently leading Columbus to a 19-6 record, another GMAC championship, and a potential fifth straight state title run, talk abou that s**t right there!!
Thanos Gaskins is collecting achievements like infinity stones.

For Coach Lucas, this is getting another blue chip recruit and arguably one of the most highly touted players to ever arrive in Coral Gables. Gaskins becomes just one of four players to ever be named to the McDonald’s All-American Game while committing to the University of Miami, putting him in extremely rare company with names like Lonnie Walker IV and Dewan Hernandez.
For Caleb, staying home might be one of the best decisions for his basketball career because Jai Lucas is running the program and will help his game grow exponentially. Just look at what Lucas has already done with this Miami roster. He’s maximized every piece of game from Tre Donaldson, turning him into a reliable engine for the Hurricanes’ offense and a player who looks far more polished than he did when the season began.
When it comes to bigs, even though Malik Reneau will eventually be gone, Lucas made sure he got every single piece of Reneau’s talent on full display this season.
Coach Lucas told Reneau before the year he can envision him making an All-American team. Reneau heard the memo loud and clear because this season he’s been playing at an All-American caliber and an insane pace. Reneau has posted career-highs across the board in scoring, efficiency, rebounding and in defense. This season alone he’s averaging nearly 20 points per game and he’s shooting an incredible 57% from the floor. All that hard work and grinding earned Reneau a spot on the Karl Malone Power Forward of the Year award midseason watch list. None of that s**t happens by accident.
Let’s also talk about how Lucas has helped elevate Ernest Udeh Jr. Right now the center has been a force in the paint who is one of the best two-way players in the game. These two bigs, and the way Lucas has coached this roster is a huge reasons why Miami has been able to compete at a high level this season.
Now when you add in a big like Gaskins to that mix, things start looking real scary for the rest of the ACC. A 6’8 five-star power forward who already has experience playing alongside elite talent and dominating at the high school level is walking into a system that clearly knows how to develop frontcourt players.
If the Hurricanes are able to keep Shelton Hednerson in Coral Gables for one more season and not lose him early to the NBA Draft, while retaining Dante Allen this roster will take a huge leap forward.

Life just keeps getting better for Jai Lucas, and in the same breath so does life for Caleb Gaskins. From state championships to McDonald’s All-American honors and now heading to his hometown Hurricanes, Gaskins is stepping into a situation that feels perfectly set up for his next level of success. And if the early returns under Lucas are any indication, Miami fans might be watching the beginning of something special.
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