Key Points
- The Dallas Mavericks are finalizing a deal to hire Michigan head coach Dusty May, 49, to replace Jason Kidd after a 26-56 season
- May owes Michigan a $5 million buyout after leading the Wolverines to a 34-3 record and the 2026 national championship
- He becomes the first college coach to jump directly to the NBA since John Beilein left Michigan for the Cavaliers in 2019, and the first to leave after winning a national title since Larry Brown departed Kansas in 1988
- Three Michigan players — Aday Mara, Yaxel Lendeborg, and Morez Johnson Jr. — are projected lottery picks in the 2026 NBA Draft
The Dallas Mavericks are hiring Dusty May as their next head coach, pulling the 49-year-old away from Michigan less than three months after he won the 2026 NCAA national championship. The deal is being finalized, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski and Jeff Borzello.
May replaces Jason Kidd, who was fired after posting a 205-205 record across five seasons, including a 26-56 mark in 2025-26 that ranked among the worst in franchise history.
A Historic Leap From College to the NBA
May is the first college head coach to move directly to the NBA since John Beilein — also from Michigan — left Ann Arbor for the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2019. He is the first to make the jump immediately after winning a national championship since Larry Brown left Kansas following the 1988 title.
The hire comes with a $5 million buyout owed to Michigan. Dallas reportedly targeted college coaches specifically to develop 19-year-old Cooper Flagg, the franchise cornerstone who became the youngest player in NBA history to score 51 points this season.
May's College Resume
May built his reputation at Florida Atlantic, where he guided the Owls to the 2023 Final Four as a No. 9 seed. That run earned him the Michigan job, and he delivered quickly: the Wolverines went 34-3 in his second season and won the national championship.
His departure leaves Michigan with significant roster questions. Three of his players — Aday Mara, Yaxel Lendeborg, and Morez Johnson Jr. — are projected lottery picks in the 2026 NBA Draft, which begins June 23. The transfer portal opens the moment a coaching change is announced, putting Michigan's championship roster at immediate risk.
The Flagg Factor
May compiled a 64-13 record across two seasons at Michigan, developing three projected lottery picks in the process. Dallas is betting that player-development track record translates to an NBA roster built around Flagg, prioritizing that profile over candidates with prior NBA coaching experience.
Source: ESPN, CBS Sports
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