Dusty May to Mavs: Latest news as Michigan coach leaves, school looks within for replacement – USA Today

Dusty May is headed to the NBA.
May, who led Michigan basketball to the 2026 national championship this past spring, will be the next Dallas Mavericks coach, USA TODAY Sports has confirmed.
The last coach to jump from college to NBA was John Beilien in 2019 — another Michigan man. Larry Brown was the last men’s basketball coach to leave for the NBA after winning a national title the season before (with Kansas in 1988).
Per multiple reports, Michigan is working on elevating Michigan assistant Mike Boynton Jr. to interim head coach. Boynton spent seven seasons as head coach at Oklahoma State from (2017-2024) before joining May’s staff. Boynton was 119-109 as Cowboys coach, including a trip to NCAA tournament in 2021.
May and Michigan had been in talks about a new contract, but as of May 18, the deal hadn’t been signed, May confirmed to USA TODAY’s Jordan Mendoza. May said there are “minor details” being adjusted between both parties, but he said he was committed to staying with the Wolverines.
“We’d like to build one of the most consistent, greatest basketball programs in the country,” May said.
A request for clarification on whether May had signed his contract was not immediately returned to USA TODAY Sports at the time this story published.
May, 49, went 64-13 in two years in Ann Arbor after guiding Florida Atlantic to the Final Four in 2023. He compiled a 190-82 record (.699) in eight college seasons.
The Mavericks finished 26-56 last season, hired Toronto Raptors executive Masai Ujiri as team president, and parted with head coach Jason Kidd on May 19.
Dallas has the No. 9 pick in this year’s NBA Draft and are in the midst of a rebuild led by last year’s top pick Cooper Flagg.
May was busy this offseason reshaping Michigan’s roster after key players Aday Mara and Morez Johnson Jr. declared for the NBA Draft, and Big Ten Player of the Year Yaxel Lendeborg exhausted his eligibility.
Michigan brought in a a trio of proven transfers in Moustapha Thiam (Cincinnati), JP Estrella (Tennessee) and Jalen Reed (LSU) to pair with a top-five freshman class in the nation, led by McDonald’s All Americans Brandon McCoy and Quinn Costello.
From USA TODAY Sports’ Lorenzo Reyes:
The Dusty May news kindled ripples across both the NBA and NCAA men’s basketball world. For proof of that, just turn to one of May’s former players.
“Man, I almost cried,” former Michigan star Yaxel Lendeborg told reporters Monday at his pre-draft press conference. “I know I’m not playing there next year, but I just felt like heartbroken, honestly.
“I’m happy for him. He deserves it. He’s a really, really good coach and a great guy, so I’m really happy for what he has going on. … I’m going to be a big Dusty May fan, no matter where he is.”
Lendeborg added that he was shocked and “almost fell to my knees” when he read the news.
Lendeborg starred under May this past season, averaging 15.1 points, 6.8 rebounds and 3.2 assists across 40 games for the Wolverines, en route to a national championship. Lendeborg became more of a versatile threat, expanding his perimeter game that has launched him into a projected selection in the 2026 draft lottery, whose first round is set for Tuesday, June 23.
“I think he’s going to do a really good job,” Lendeborg said. “He’s a really good coach, so he’s going to do a good job of bringing the guys together. He’s going to adjust super easily, so I’m going to be excited to see what he does.”
Another interesting ripple in all of this is that the Mavericks hold the No. 9 selection in the first round, which could put them in position to draft either Lendeborg or center Aday Mara, who is also expected to hear his name called in the lottery.
May’s previous deal was set through 2030, and offered him an annual increase of $250,000 for the next four seasons, according to his contract obtained by USA TODAY Sports. His base salary in 2025-26 was $4.6 million and was set to increase to $4.85 million this season, under his previous contract.
May’s buyout on his previous contract was reduced to $5 million after April 30, 2026.
The former Oklahoma State coach worked with May as one of Michigan’s top assistants, overseeing the defensive game plans for the Wolverines. Given his head coaching experience and familiarity with the program, Boynton would be a seamless fit to take over for May.
Boynton joined May’s staff in 2024 after serving seven years as Oklahoma State’s head coach. Boynton was on Brad Underwood’s staff for a year at OSU before Underwood left for Illinois. Boynton was elevated to head coach and posted a 119-109 (.522) record, which included two NIT quarterfinals appearances and a trip to the 2021 NCAA Tournament.
From USA TODAY Sports’ Paul Myerberg:
Boynton ran the defense under May — his work helped the Wolverines outscore opponents by nearly 20 points per game. Boynton has the qualifications and experience to step into the job at a late date and potentially keep the roster intact, or at least strong enough to stay a factor in the Big Ten and Final Four hunt.
The list of outside candidates begins with Schertz, a close friend of May’s and a coach with a similarly prolific up-tempo offensive scheme. His system could be installed fairly seamlessly and mesh well with the Wolverines’ current roster. Schertz has also proven himself by winning 32 games at Indiana State in 2024 and then leading Saint Louis to 29 wins and the second round of this year’s tournament, where the Billikens were bulldozed by Michigan.
Oats signed a massive extension that links him to Alabama through 2032 and has experienced his share of controversy, most recently this past season with Charles Bediako’s eligibility debate and guard Aden Holloway’s suspension in the wake of felony drug charges. But he’s also won 70% of his games, reached the Final Four, made two Elite Eight trips and advanced out of the tournament’s opening weekend in each of the past four years. He also spent a decade coaching high school basketball in Michigan before being hired as an assistant at Buffalo in 2013.
Donovan is currently out of coaching after stepping down from his spot with the Chicago Bulls after the end of the regular season. While he had his share of NBA success, Donovan is best known for the powerhouse he built Florida, where he claimed back-to-back national championships. Despite his time away from the college game, Donovan has essentially been linked to every major NCAA job opening since he left the Gators over a decade ago. Is Michigan the position that would bring him back?
Otzelberger seems very content in Ames, having already declined overtures from more historically relevant programs since kickstarting the Cyclones’ current run in 2022. Since taking over five seasons ago, he’s led Iowa State to three Sweet 16 berths, four 20-win seasons and at least 25 wins in each of the past three years.
Formerly a longtime Michigan assistant who was on the staff for the 1989 national champions and then spent another 18 years under former Michigan coach Steve Fisher with the Aztecs, Dutcher has won at least 21 games in every season since replacing Fisher in 2017 and led SDSU to the national title game in 2023. A few factors not in Dutcher’s favor are his age — he’ll turn 67 in October.
Yes, NCAA rules allow for the creation of a special transfer portal window following a head coaching change. At that time, players can enter the portal and potentially sign with another team.
According to the NCAA on Jan. 14, 2026, the Division I Cabinet enacted immediate rules changes for the transfer portal, including those for a team going through a coaching change.
Per the NCAA:
When a head coaching change occurs, a 15-day period will open five days after the new head coach is hired or publicly announced. If a new head coach is not announced within 30 days of the previous head coach’s departure — and the 31st day after the head coach’s departure is after the championship game — a 15-day window will open. The additional head coach departure window is available only after the basketball transfer window opens through Jan. 2.
Five days after Michigan hires or publicly announces its hire, the 15-day transfer portal will open, allowing players to enter and potentially sign with a team. The 15-day window will open if the Wolverines are unable to make a hire within 30 days of May’s departure for the NBA.
That is separate from a 15-day transfer window that opens the day following the championship game, which in 2026 was on April 4.
USA TODAY Sports reporter Zac Al-Khateeb and Detroit Free Press reporter Tony Garcia contributed to this story.

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