Dusty May knew the game, embraced the game and played it brilliantly. In two stirring seasons at Michigan, he balanced the transactional aspects of a rapidly changing sport and became a coaching star. A coveted star.
May made an indelible mark at UM, capping a 37-3 season with a national championship, the Wolverines' first in 37 years. And once the whirlwind of opportunities started, it wasn't going to stop. At least not until Monday, when May left Michigan to coach the NBA's Dallas Mavericks.
It's a crushing blow for the Wolverines, but they knew the cost of success in college basketball's current climate. It's a fitting final transaction for May, and the only major surprise is the timing, two months after the season, and after recruiting and portal signings. His top ******* istant, Mike Boynton Jr., will likely take over as an interim, which gives the Wolverines a chance at a workable transition, with the roster already rebuilt and pegged as a top-five team next season.
May had a new contract agreement with UM but hadn't yet signed it. The way it appears, that was at least semi-intentional, as he was frequently mentioned as a candidate for the NBA, just like his players, Yaxel Lendeborg, Aday Mara and Morez Johnson Jr. I doubt this was strictly a money issue, although he'll be handsomely compensated in Dallas. But if there's more that AD Warde Manuel could have done, we need to hear it.
Just as Jim Harbaugh departed after the 2023 football national championship for a multitude of reasons — NFL lure, ongoing scandal, pending punishment — May apparently had aspirations that Manuel couldn't fulfill. (No, Harbaugh was never staying at UM amid the NCAA sanctions). May's contract has already been redone once, and with Big Ten and national ******* les, his pay topped $5 million this past season. He hauled in a top-five recruiting class and a top-12 portal class, so sustainability and security certainly weren't issues.
May made an indelible mark at UM, capping a 37-3 season with a national championship, the Wolverines' first in 37 years. And once the whirlwind of opportunities started, it wasn't going to stop. At least not until Monday, when May left Michigan to coach the NBA's Dallas Mavericks.
It's a crushing blow for the Wolverines, but they knew the cost of success in college basketball's current climate. It's a fitting final transaction for May, and the only major surprise is the timing, two months after the season, and after recruiting and portal signings. His top ******* istant, Mike Boynton Jr., will likely take over as an interim, which gives the Wolverines a chance at a workable transition, with the roster already rebuilt and pegged as a top-five team next season.
May had a new contract agreement with UM but hadn't yet signed it. The way it appears, that was at least semi-intentional, as he was frequently mentioned as a candidate for the NBA, just like his players, Yaxel Lendeborg, Aday Mara and Morez Johnson Jr. I doubt this was strictly a money issue, although he'll be handsomely compensated in Dallas. But if there's more that AD Warde Manuel could have done, we need to hear it.
Just as Jim Harbaugh departed after the 2023 football national championship for a multitude of reasons — NFL lure, ongoing scandal, pending punishment — May apparently had aspirations that Manuel couldn't fulfill. (No, Harbaugh was never staying at UM amid the NCAA sanctions). May's contract has already been redone once, and with Big Ten and national ******* les, his pay topped $5 million this past season. He hauled in a top-five recruiting class and a top-12 portal class, so sustainability and security certainly weren't issues.
3 months ago
