The Dallas Mavericks hired University of Michigan head coach Dusty May on Tuesday, June 23, 2026, just hours before the NBA Draft.
Dallas selected May's former player, forward/center Morez Johnson Jr., with the No. 9 overall pick later that evening.
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The coaching transaction was completed shortly after Duke head coach Jon Scheyer turned down the position, according to a report by Jeff Goodman.
Mavericks president of basketball operations Masai Ujiri officially announced May's hiring to replace Jason Kidd ahead of the draft proceedings in New York.
The management transition coincides with a major roster restructuring around 2025 top draft choice Cooper Flagg, following the previous departure of Luka Doncic.
May joins the franchise less than three months after steering Michigan to its first NCAA championship since 1989 with a 69-63 victory over UConn.
Factors Behind the Move
Shams Charania of The Athletic reported that the opportunity to develop Flagg, the city of Dallas, and the leadership of Ujiri were the primary factors influencing May to jump to the NBA.
The move makes May only the second coach in basketball history to transition directly to an NBA head coaching job immediately after winning an NCAA national title in the prior season.
Mavericks officials expressed complete confidence in the timing of the hiring, noting that the new head coach would immediately offer valuable insights regarding collegiate players during the draft selection process.
"He'll be involved because he's a college coach," Ujiri said. "He has interaction with his players.
