Dusty May, who won a national title with Michigan a few months ago, will lead the Dallas Mavericks as their new head coach. This confirmation comes from a league source close to The Athletic.
Previously, May guided Florida Atlantic to a Final Four appearance in 2023. He also achieved a national championship victory with Michigan in April. He now heads a Mavericks team centered around Cooper Flagg, the reigning Rookie of the Year.
At 49, May’s basketball journey began as a student manager at Indiana under the legendary Bob Knight. After progressing through college basketball, he became the head coach at Florida Atlantic in 2018. The Owls achieved a combined record of 60-13 in May’s last two seasons before he transitioned to Michigan in 2024.
Michigan experienced significant success under May’s leadership. The team improved to a 27-10 record in 2024-25, a 19-win increase from the previous year. In the following season, they finished with a remarkable 37-3 record, claiming victory over Connecticut in the national championship game. Yaxel Lendeborg, Morez Johnson Jr., and Aday Mara, three starters from Michigan, are anticipated to be first-round picks in the upcoming NBA Draft.
Earlier this year, Mavericks president Masai Ujiri decided to part ways with Jason Kidd, who still had four years and over $40 million left on his contract. Ujiri committed to an extensive search for Kidd’s replacement.
The Mavericks showed interest in several candidates. San Antonio Spurs’ associate head coach Sean Sweeney was a consideration, though he accepted the head coaching position with Orlando Magic. The Mavericks also interviewed Micah Nori, an assistant with the Minnesota Timberwolves. During the search, Ujiri evaluated several college coaches as potential candidates, including Duke’s Jon Scheyer and Florida’s Todd Golden.
Ultimately, Ujiri chose May, who coached one of college basketball’s most dominant teams last season.