Three key reasons Dusty May left Michigan for Mavericks job exposed

The Dallas Mavericks have reportedly secured their new head coach after cutting ties with Jason Kidd. Reportedly, University of Michigan head coach Dusty May agreed to take over the role in Dallas. 

The move comes after Duke head coach Jon Scheyer reportedly turned down the opportunity, as reported by Jeff Goodman. Later the Mavericks quickly shifted their focus to May, who ultimately accepted the position.

NBA insider Shams Charania detailed the key factors that influenced May’s decision to make the jump to the NBA and join the Mavericks organization.

“Dusty May personally, it was three factors. Cooper flag ultimately was the biggest key in this, the draw, and then it was the city of Dallas, and then after all that, Masai Ujiri and the leadership there with the Mavericks,” Charania said.

May now steps into one of the most high-profile and complex coaching situations in the league. He is expected to play a pivotal role in developing Cooper Flagg following Dallas’ major roster reset after the departure of Luka Doncic, while also managing established veterans such as Kyrie Irving and Klay Thompson as part of the team’s new competitive structure.

On the collegiate level, May arrived in the NBA after a stellar run at Michigan. He guided the program to a 64–13 record over two seasons in Ann Arbor and captured the 2026 NCAA championship. 

May’s success places him in rare company. He is now the only second coach in history to take over an NBA team immediately after winning a national title in the previous season. With the move, he joined Larry Brown, who transitioned to the NBA after leading Kansas to the 1988 NCAA championship.

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