College basketball is changing faster than ever. Players transfer. Rosters turn over. Expectations shift. And coaches are left figuring out how to turn a group of individuals into a team, often in a matter of months.
For Florida Atlantic University Men’s Basketball Head Coach John Jakus, that’s the reality heading into his third season in Boca Raton.
With 11 newcomers on a 15-player roster, including returning senior guard and preseason All-Conference First Team selection Kanaan Carlyle, Jakus says adapting to change is part of the job and so is recognizing the progress along the way.
“You just have to learn to manage it and appreciate the little wins and the big wins,” Jakus shared during our recent conversation on The Paige Kornblue Show.
His journey has taken him around the world, through some of college basketball’s most successful programs and ultimately to South Florida. Jakus arrived at FAU in 2024 after working alongside legendary coaches Scott Drew at Baylor—where he helped capture a national championship in 2021—and Mark Few at Gonzaga.
Now, he’s putting those experiences to work in Boca Raton, where building a successful basketball program means developing more than talented athletes. Recently, the team gathered for dinner in Mizner Park, spending time sharing family photographs and dedicating their season to the people who matter most to them. It’s one way Jakus is helping players from different backgrounds build meaningful connections.
He’s also encouraging his players to slow down, put away their phones and be present with one another.
“You don’t have to go fast to go far,” Jakus told me.
It’s a philosophy shaped in part by his own journey.
Away from the court, Jakus and his wife, Sara, are raising three children whose individual paths have helped shape his perspective on life and coaching. While living overseas, their son was diagnosed with autism at age three, prompting the family to return to the United States to find additional support. The decision ultimately redirected Jakus’s coaching career, and today he speaks highly of the support his son has received at Boca Raton High School.
Their daughter’s love of acting and dancing has introduced the basketball coach to a different kind of stage, while their oldest son is enjoying college life at Arkansas. Those experiences have reinforced Jakus’s belief in allowing young people to discover their own interests and find their way, a philosophy that carries over into how he guides his players at FAU.
On the court, Jakus has clear goals for the Owls: Reach 20 wins, compete in the American Conference and position the program for an NCAA Tournament bid. He also wants FAU to deliver the high-scoring, entertaining basketball that has helped build excitement around the program.
And he knows the home crowd has a role to play.
“I think it’s good for the community when FAU is good. And when people are there, it gets better,” Jakus said.
The Owls opened their season at Eleanor R. Baldwin Arena on FAU’s Boca Raton campus on Monday with a win against Long Island University. For South Florida residents, it’s an opportunity to support a hometown team, experience Division I basketball and be part of something continuing to grow right in our own backyard.
Purchase FAU men’s basketball tickets and follow @FAUMBB for season updates.
Listen to Paige Kornblue’s full conversation with John Jakus here on The Paige Kornblue Show.
Community, Travel, Sports, The Paige Kornblue Show and more at PaigeKornblue.com
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