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Championship Coach Dusty May Joins Dallas Mavericks After Title

6/30/2026

36 6 Full Breakdown

Summary

Dusty May Leaves

Dusty May (Michigan Wolverines head coach) left Michigan after winning the 2026 NCAA National Championship to become the Dallas Mavericks' coach.
He announced the hire at a June 30, 2026 conference, saying the Mavericks met every box he sought.
Michigan named assistant Mike Boynton Jr. interim head coach for 2026-27, making May the first championship-winning coach to leave for another job in the offseason since coach Larry Brown in 1988.

Summary

May Adds College

May recalls John Beilein’s 2019 transition from college to the NBA, where he posted a 14-40 record before being fired.
He cites Mark Daigneault, Quinn Snyder and Billy Donovan as NBA coaches with college-style roots.
May says the Mavericks will add a “college flavor” to the coaching staff while retaining experienced NBA assistants.
He notes larger NBA coaching crews require intentional role division to complement each other.

Summary

Dusty May Hired

Mavericks president Masai Ujiri appointed Dusty May as head coach, replacing Jason Kidd.
Ujiri texted May about the No. 9 pick, Morez Johnson Jr., but May missed it until after the selection.
May admitted he did not know the team was drafting Johnson, saying his phone buzzed and he learned it afterward.
The introductory press conference for May and Johnson took place at the American Airlines Center, where Johnson displayed his jersey.

History

Historical Context

In 1988 Larry Brown left the University of Kansas just two months after winning the NCAA title, signing a five-year, $3.5 million contract to coach the San Antonio Spurs. His jump from a championship college program to an NBA head-coaching role was rare at the time and opened a path for later franchises to recruit successful college tacticians.

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Dusty May Leaves

Dusty May (Michigan Wolverines head coach) left Michigan after winning the 2026 NCAA National Championship to become the Dallas Mavericks' coach.
He announced the hire at a June 30, 2026 conference, saying the Mavericks met every box he sought.
Michigan named assistant Mike Boynton Jr. interim head coach for 2026-27, making May the first championship-winning coach to leave for another job in the offseason since coach Larry Brown in 1988.

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