Dusty May Faces Massive Backlash as He Leaves Michigan For NBA Job With Dallas Mavericks

Once you become part of the Michigan Wolverines family, winning becomes simply important. So, when Dusty May helped them with their first National Championship in 37 years two months ago, he promised Ann Arbor: “We’d like to build one of the most consistent, greatest basketball programs in the country.” Athletic director Warde Manuel bought into that promise and announced a new verbal contract for the head coach.

Fast forward to now, and he has left the Wolverines faithful in shambles. But the cat is already out of the bag for this move.

According to NBA Insider Shams Charania, May has agreed to become the new head coach for the Dallas Mavericks, one day before the 2026 NBA Draft, which brings an end to his brief but highly successful stint at Michigan. But there are reasons why May made the move.

Firstly, three Michigan alums would be entering the NBA draft this year, and the Mavericks are already eyeing them. If all things work out, it would be an added benefit for the NBA franchise as both the players and the coach know each other’s style well enough and have a pre-existing connection that May will need to build with the rest of the team over the next few years. But there’s more.

Analyst Jeff Goodman revealed that the 49-year-old did not want to miss the opportunity to coach Mavericks PF Cooper Flagg, who will now enter his second year with the franchise. After all, if he can help the Wolverines in sweeping the Natty with a 64-13 record, he can help a potential NBA star in the making. Another reason was even more long-sighted.

The NCAA landscape has already changed many colors over the last decade. With cases like Texas Tech quarterback Brendan Sorsby’s, it is only bound to change further. And that’s exactly why May wanted to enter the professional basketball world that has already established itself. Meanwhile, it was no surprise that the Mavericks needed a new head.

Dallas made it clear that major changes were needed following a disappointing 26-56 campaign under Jason Kidd, and it was no secret that they were pursuing May. However, while the timing of this move has caught many by surprise, May arrives in Dallas with a résumé that explains why the Mavericks were willing to make such an aggressive move.

After beginning his career as a video coordinator and then as an assistant coach in 2004, Dusty May made his name at Florida Atlantic, where he guided the Owls to their first-ever Final Four appearance in 2023. So, when Michigan needed a replacement for Juwan Howard in 2024, the Wolverines turned to May, and that move paid off almost immediately.

May has a reputation for having one of basketball’s sharpest tactical minds. His teams consistently execute detailed game plans, and his ability to make adjustments on the go has become one of his biggest strengths, besides his ability to connect with the players.

So it’s not hard to see why Dallas believes he can help lead their franchise into its next era. But while Mavericks fans are excited about what he could bring to the NBA, Michigan supporters are far less thrilled.

Michigan Fans Feel Betrayed by Dusty May’s Exit

See, for many, the issue isn’t that May left for the pros. It’s when he left.

“The amount of times I heard this guy in interviews say I’m not even looking at jobs this year… I’m committed to Michigan Is CRAZY. What a snake. Doing this after the portal is crazy work,” one fan wrote. While another added, “The transfer portal is closed, and all those kids who agreed to come and play for this bum have to either eat it or pick a team that has already built their team. He not only royally screwed Michigan with this timing, but he screwed over all those young men he made promises to.”

Before making his jump, coach May spent the 2026 offseason building another title contender in Ann Arbor. He brought in three prominent frontcourt players – Moustapha Thiam, J.P. Estrella, and Jalen Reed — who chose Michigan specifically to play under him. But what stings the most for fans is the Elliott Cadeau situation.

Credit: IMAGO

After leading Michigan to a national championship and earning Final Four Most Outstanding Player honors, Cadeau initially declared for the NBA Draft. However, Dusty May and his staff convinced him to return for his senior season.

“IS HE DUMB???? YOU JUST WON IT ALL WITH US. MICHIGAN WILL NOT FORGIVE YOU FOR THIS,” one fan stated. Whereas another highlighted, “Dusty May have just made the biggest career blunder a basketball coach can make. Doing this after such a great season at Michigan is wild. Jumping from a top college job to the NBA rarely works out.”

See, there is a history of college coaches making a jump like this to the pros, but it rarely works out the way they envision.

In fact, Dusty May is the first coach since John Beilein in 2019 to leave Michigan for an NBA head coaching job. Like May, Beilein arrived in the league with an impressive college résumé and a winning track record. However, his NBA stint with the Cleveland Cavaliers lasted less than a full season after he won just 14 of his 54 games. And this story isn’t unique.

Over the years, several successful college coaches have tried leaping to the NBA, only to struggle with the transition. While a few names, such as Brad Stevens and Billy Donovan, found success, they remain the exception rather than the rule.

Previously, before the NBA’s Los Angeles Lakers signed head coach JJ Redick in 2024, UConn’s Dan Hurley was the biggest name. But even when the franchise promised him a huge check, he returned to Storrs because he believed in what he had built more than moving into a situation that would take time for him to understand. Now, that obviously doesn’t mean May is destined for the same fate.

If anything, May has shown that he can develop quickly and also help his teams become true contenders in no time. As big as that is for the Mavs fans, it is also the sore point for the Michigan loyalists.

“Nah this either finna be genius or a generational disaster ,” one fan summed up.

According to ESPN, assistant coach Mike Boynton will have the chance to prove he can take over a national championship team as the interim coach for the team this season. The Wolverines will also look into Josh Schertz, Mark Byington, Nate Oats, and Billy Donovan as their potential head coach. Only time will tell if May’s gamble pays off.

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