Sports

Nation's No. 3 Recruit Reacts to Michigan Losing Dusty May

The Michigan Wolverines capped off the 2025-26 college basketball season by winning the national championship. A big piece of their success was the leadership of head coach Dusty May, who was in his second season with the Wolverines.

However, he won't be chasing back-to-back national championships with Michigan. On Monday, ESPN's Pete Thamel reported that May is leaving the program and will become the next head coach of the Dallas Mavericks.

It was a surprising move, with the Wolverines naming Mike Boynton Jr., the team's assistant coach, as the interim head coach. While the move may affect the current roster, high school recruiting could also be impacted.

After news broke of May's departure, Rivals Joe Tipton spoke to several high-level recruits, including class of 2027 guard King Gibson.

 Former Michigan Wolverines head coach Dusty May. Bob Donnan-Imagn Images
Former Michigan Wolverines head coach Dusty May. Bob Donnan-Imagn Images Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

"It's definitely the most surprising coach change I've seen," Gibson said. "But I think this program is still going to compete at a very high level."

At 6-foot-4 and 180 pounds, he is a five-star recruit, the No. 1 combo guard and the No. 3 player in the nation, according to Rivals Industry Rankings.

This past season playing for the Spire Institute Academy in the Nike EYBL, he averaged 15 points, 3.4 rebounds and 3.7 assists in 17 games. The Burlington, North Carolina native also shot 47% from the field and 46% from the three-point line.

He's shown a considerable amount of interest in the Wolverines. Gibson has taken just two unofficial visits so far, with one being to Ann Arbor on March 14. According to the Rivals Recruiting Prediction machine, Michigan has the second-best chances (19.9%) to land his commitment, behind the NC State Wolfpack (22.7%).

While Gibson is confident the Wolverines will remain a top program even without May, the departure may affect where they stand in his recruitment.

Related: Cameron Boozer Announces New Partnership Before 2026 NBA Draft

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This story was originally published June 22, 2026 at 10:01 AM.

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