Kevin Sherrington: The next Brad Stevens? Why Dusty May is positioned for successful NBA leap with Mavericks.

DALLAS - The last time a Michigan basketball coach went straight to the pros, John Beilein lasted all of 54 games with Cleveland before deciding the NBA was adversely affecting his health, not to mention his winning percentage.

So what makes the Dallas Mavericks think Dusty May will fare any better?

Because it's a bad comparison.

Think Brad Stevens, instead.

Look, let me say upfront that I'm just glad Masai Ujiri got the hire out of the way before they were on the clock for Tuesday's draft. As I wrote recently, it seemed like the new guy should at least have a say in who they're drafting if it's his W-L percentage on the line.

By the way: You think May might have a scouting report on potential lottery picks Aday Mara, Yaxel Lendeborg and Morez Johnson Jr., all of whom helped him to Michigan's first national title since 1989?

Before we get to their prospects, let's first take a look at just the 11th head coach in Mavs history, unless you count Dick Motta twice.

Speaking of which, like Motta, May didn't play college basketball. He was Indiana's student manager during Bobby Knight's last four years in Bloomington, which is probably worth a couple thousand words in its own right.

Once out of college, it took May four years before he even got a job as an assistant coach back at his alma mater, which isn't so unusual for a former student manager. The lack of pedigree forces you to work even harder. Sharpens your edge.

May's unconventional career path, in fact, mirrors in part one of his bosses. Mike Schmitz, the new general manager, was also a video guy who worked as a draft analyst for ESPN before going to work for the Trail Blazers.

What these pivotal hires say about Ujiri and his plans for the Mavs is hard to say just yet, but at the least, it indicates he's willing to think outside the box.

Frankly, I figured he'd hire a first-time head coach at this late date, but not one who'd just won an NCAA title. Ujiri hired two assistants while in Toronto. The difference this time indicates not only a change in approach but another financial commitment from the new owners, who apparently subscribe to the theory that, in order to make money, you've got to spend some.

Does this give you any ideas, Ray Davis?

On the day back in Ann Arbor when Michigan celebrated its national title, Warde Manuel, the Wolverines' athletic director, announced to an apoplectic gathering that he and the conquering hero had come to an agreement on May's second contract extension in as many years on the job. The deal, through 2030, reportedly averaged $5.1 million a year.

"He will be the leader of this basketball team," Manuel said, "for many years to come."

First rule of contract announcements: Always make sure the coach has actually signed it first.

Rumors had circulated for weeks that May might be intrigued by the NBA. He'd won a title, and he'd taken Florida Atlantic to the Final Four before that. In Juwan Howard's final, fateful season, the Wolverines had gone 8-24. What else did May need to do to prove himself? He's also 49. If you think you might consider a career change at some point, doing it before you're 50 is probably better than waiting until you're 67, like Beilein did.

Besides a reputation as a bright tactician, May got bonus points for last year's portal class, which included the lottery picks mentioned above. You could say May maximized their potential.

Before Michigan, the closest any of the three were linked to a lottery was at the checkout stand of their local convenience store.

Even if none of May's Wolverines end up in Dallas, don't be surprised if the national championship roster he built bears some resemblance to his new one in Dallas, at least in size. Big is the way to go these days.

Hats off to Jalen Brunson, king of New York, but I have seen the future, and he is down in San Antonio peeking over the Alamo.

If you want to survive in the West, much less the NBA, you'd better be big. For that reason, I wouldn't be surprised if Ujiri doesn't trade up if he doesn't think he can get the big guard he wants at nine.

Or he might trade down, if he decides to take a flyer on, say, Mara.

On the whole, the last time I was this impressed with a college basketball coach was at the Final Four in Houston in 2011, when Stevens led little Butler to its second straight national title game. He didn't win it all, but he left soon after for Boston, where he changed the trajectory of a proud franchise that had lost its way. Over the next eight seasons, the Celtics advanced to the conference finals three times before Stevens moved up to the front office, at which point he commenced building the best organization in the East.

From where the Mavs sit now, I'd take something along those lines. Then again, we've built up a lot of scar tissue lately.

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This story was originally published June 22, 2026 at 5:18 PM.