Dusty May to Leave Michigan for Dallas Mavericks Amid NBA Shift
Sources confirm 49-year-old May is finalising deal to replace Jason Kidd, triggering roster uncertainty at Ann Arbor and signalling a new era for the Texas franchise centred on Cooper Flagg.
Michigan head coach Dusty May is finalising a deal to become the head coach of the Dallas Mavericks, sources told ESPN, marking a significant shift in both the college and professional basketball landscapes. May, 49, leaves the University of Michigan after leading the Wolverines to the 2026 NCAA national title and compiling a 64-13 record over two seasons. He replaces Jason Kidd, who was dismissed following a 26-56 season.
The appointment marks the first time a college head coach has accepted an NBA head coaching position since John Beilein joined the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2019. May will take charge of a Mavericks franchise built around Cooper Flagg, the NBA’s Rookie of the Year, who averaged 21.0 points per game last season. The move positions May to lead the team’s next generation, following a period of instability that included the controversial trade of Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers in February 2025.
Mavericks president and alternate governor Masai Ujiri hired May despite owing Kidd more than $40 million over the remaining four years of his contract. The franchise parted ways with Kidd after failing to make the playoffs in the past two seasons, a decline that followed the departure of general manager Nico Harrison in November 2025. Before prioritising May, the Mavericks interviewed Duke coach Jon Scheyer, who coached Flagg during his lone season in college, along with several NBA assistant coaches.
May’s departure places Michigan in a sudden state of flux following their dominant championship run. Under NCAA rules, a 15-day transfer window will open five days after a new head coach is hired or publicly announced, allowing players to explore their options. The Wolverines’ roster includes Final Four Most Outstanding Player Elliot Cadeau, rising sophomore Trey McKenney, and transfers J.P. Estrella, Moustapha Thiam, and Jalen Reed. Michigan is working to hire assistant coach Mike Boynton Jr. as interim coach.
Although Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel announced in April that May had agreed to a new deal to stay at the university, no formal contract was signed at that time. May, who previously led Florida Atlantic to the 2023 Final Four, had ruled out other college jobs this offseason but had always considered the NBA intriguing. His rise from a video coordinator at USC to a national title-winning head coach mirrors the trajectory of Boston Celtics coach Brad Stevens, who similarly moved from college to the NBA after success at Butler.
