Shelton Henderson was the prized recruit of Jai Lucas’ first recruiting class at Miami, and the Houston native did not disappoint. He averaged 13.8 points, 4.9 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game, overpowering defenders with his physical, paint-focused style of play.
His most impressive feat? That would be his Round of 32 performance against Purdue. The Hurricanes came up short, but Henderson was brilliant against the veteran Boilermakers, drilling nine of his 11 field-goal attempts for a team-high 18 points.
Henderson returns to Coral Gables for his second year with Lucas and the Canes, looking to build off his NCAA Tournament success.
“Playing in March Madness was definitely a great experience for me,” Henderson told reporters at the 2026 ACC Tipoff. “I learned a lot, just in myself and how I’m able to come back this year and just be a better player all around.”
Shooting was a point of emphasis for Henderson this offseason. The 6-foot-6, 240-pound forward struggled from beyond the arc last season, shooting just 25.5% on threes on 1.5 attempts per game. He was also subpar from the charity stripe, making 57.6% of his free throws.
While Henderson still prioritizes his ability to drive to the basket, he thinks that his improved shooting will positively impact him and his teammates.
“It’s definitely been a huge focus of mine this offseason and this summer,” Henderson said when asked if improving his three-point shot is a goal of his for the 2026–27 season. “I think it’s going to create a lot more for me, just being able to stretch the floor out for myself and my teammates, but my main thing is getting to the basket, playmaking in the paint and just doing what I do at a high level. But definitely shooting’s definitely a main goal that will get me to the next level of my game.”
Henderson is one of three returning Hurricanes from last year’s team, along with fifth-year forward Malik Reneau and sophomore guard Dante Allen. As for the 11 incoming players on the squad, Henderson indicates that jelling with his new teammates has not been an issue.
“It’s been easy to connect with the new guys,” he said. “We got along fairly quickly. We hang out with each other on and off the court a lot, so just being able to carry that onto the court is gonna be the main focus I think. And when we get to that point, it’s gonna be hard to stop us.”
And while he’s expected to have a potentially all-conference caliber season, Henderson is mainly concerned with the success of the team as the Hurricanes prepare for their season opener on Nov. 2 against the vaunted Florida Gators.
“Definitely just win,” Henderson said when asked about his sophomore season goals. “I want to win at a very high level this year as a team. For myself, just carry on what I did from last year, just play at a very high level for myself and just do whatever it takes to make it to where we want to be.”
