Why Mavericks are hiring Michigan's Dusty May as next head coach

The Dallas Mavericks have found their new head coach shortly after firing Jason Kidd.

According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Michigan’s Dusty May has agreed to become the Mavericks’ next head coach following a successful stint with the Wolverines.

“NEWS: Michigan coach Dusty May is finalizing a deal to take the Dallas Mavericks head coaching job,” Schefter reported on X/twitter Monday. “May led Michigan basketball to the national title in April. The allure of coaching Cooper Flagg as a linchpin piece helped draw him.”

Dallas’ hiring is a bit surprising, and it has nothing to do with May’s pedigree. Toward the end of the 2025-26 college basketball season, May was asked about the possibility of him leaving Michigan for greener pastures elsewhere. 

The 49-year-old didn’t mince his words on the subject. 

After last year, I decided that I'll never, ever respond to any job speculation," May said, according to ESPN’s Jeff Borzello and Pete Thamel. "I think it's well-documented how happy I am at Michigan. Obviously, my private life, my personal life, my family, their happiness is very important.”

While the question centered on May’s thinking behind leaving for a better collegiate head coaching job, it’s fair to say that, based on his comments, an NBA opening wouldn't have appealed to him either.

Clearly, though, May, who led FAU to two consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances before capturing an NCAA title, received an offer from Dallas he couldn’t refuse. Likewise, the Mavericks believe that May is the right man to help guide the Flagg-led rebuild in Dallas.