Sports

Mavericks to hire Michigan's Dusty May as new coach

June 22 (UPI) -- The Dallas Mavericks plan to hire Michigan's Dusty May as their new head coach, a league source told UPI on Monday.

May led the Wolverines to a 64-13 record over the last two seasons, including their national championship winning 37-3 campaign in 2025-26. He led Florida Atlantic to a 126-69 record from 2018-19 through 2023-24.

May, 49, also worked as an assistant at Eastern Michigan, Murray State, UAB, Louisiana Tech and Florida.

The Mavericks, who fired former coach Jason Kidd in May, were 26-56 last season and missed the playoffs for the third time in four years. The Mavericks were 205-205 in five seasons under Kidd. They advanced to the NBA Finals in his second season, but lost in five games to the Boston Celtics.

May signed a contract extension in 2025 with the Wolverines. That pact ran through 2030 and included a buyout of $5 million if he left the Wolverines between May 1, 2026, and April 30, 2027.

Wolverines athletic director Warde Manuel said in April that May agreed to a contract extension, but the coach told the Detroit Free Press last week that that deal was not signed.

May is the first men's coach to leave college immediately after winning a championship since Larry Brown, who left Kansas in 1988 to coach the San Antonio Spurs. Brown, who was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2002, led the Spurs to a 153-131 record over four seasons.

Copyright 2026 UPI News Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

This story was originally published June 22, 2026 at 10:36 AM.

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