Dusty May: Dallas Mavericks head coach of the Dallas Mavericks and one of the few modern college coaches who went straight from a national title to becoming an NBA head coach. While leading Michigan to the NCAA men’s basketball championship in June 2026 before being hired by Dallas that same month, May was previously credited with building Florida Atlantic into a Final Four program.
His ascension is especially strange due to the fact that it did not start at the highest level of a playing career. May began as a student manager at Indiana University, spent years in video, administrative and assistant-coaching roles, and ultimately became a college head coach. His journey from working behind the scenes in the sport to the NBA provides one piece of context for why his journey has earned so much attention.
Last updated: September 2026
Quick Facts About Dusty May
For readers looking for the essentials, here is a snapshot of May’s career:
| Topic | Details |
| Full name | Dusty May |
| Date of birth | December 30, 1976 |
| Age | 49 |
| Hometown | Bloomfield, Indiana |
| College | Indiana University |
| Current team | Dallas Mavericks |
| Current position | Head coach |
| Previous head-coaching jobs | Florida Atlantic, Michigan |
| Florida Atlantic record | 126–69 |
| Michigan record | 64–13 |
| College career record | 190–82 |
| College winning percentage | .699 |
| NCAA Tournament record | 12–3 |
| Final Four appearances | 2 |
| NCAA championships | 1 |
| National championship | 2026 |
Sports-Reference lists May’s college head-coaching record at 190–82 over eight seasons, including 126–69 at Florida Atlantic and 64–13 at Michigan.
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Who Is Dusty May?
May is an American basketball coach who built his reputation through player development, program building and adaptable offensive basketball.
His national breakthrough came at Florida Atlantic, where he transformed a program without a long history of NCAA Tournament success into a Final Four team. That performance eventually led him to Michigan in 2024.
Michigan provided a different challenge: greater expectations, Big Ten competition and a roster-building environment increasingly shaped by the transfer portal. May won 27 games during his first season and then coached the Wolverines to a 37–3 record and the NCAA championship in 2025–26.
Dallas subsequently hired him as its head coach on June 23, 2026.
How Old Is Dusty May?
May was born on December 30, 1976, making him 49 years old as of September 2026. He grew up in Bloomfield, Indiana, and later attended Indiana University.
Did Dusty May Play College Basketball?
May’s route into coaching was different from that of many former players.
He attended Indiana University and worked as a student manager under Bob Knight from 1996 to 2000. His responsibilities exposed him to areas such as video work, scouting, basketball operations and player development.
That makes his career progression particularly notable. Rather than moving from a major playing career into coaching, he advanced through basketball’s operational and coaching ranks.
Where Is Dusty May Coaching Now?
May is the head coach of the Dallas Mavericks entering the 2026–27 NBA season. Dallas’ current coaching staff lists him as head coach, with Willie Green serving as lead assistant.
The move represents May’s first NBA coaching job after spending his career in college basketball.
When Did the Dallas Mavericks Hire Dusty May?
Dallas announced May as its new head coach on June 23, 2026.
The appointment came less than three months after Michigan defeated UConn for the NCAA championship. May therefore moved directly from leading the reigning college national champion to preparing for his first NBA season.
Who Did Dusty May Replace?
May replaced Jason Kidd.
Dallas and Kidd mutually agreed to part ways on May 19, 2026. Kidd had coached the Mavericks since 2021 and helped take the franchise to the 2024 NBA Finals. Dallas finished the 2025–26 season 26–56 before the organization decided to make a coaching change.
Why Did Dusty May Leave Michigan for Dallas?
The move allowed May to make the jump from college basketball to the NBA immediately after reaching the highest level of success available in the college game.
Dallas also presented a very different coaching challenge. Instead of recruiting high school players and managing the transfer portal, May would work within an NBA organization building around professional players and a young centerpiece in Cooper Flagg.
The important distinction is that the move was not simply another college coaching change. It shifted May into an entirely different basketball environment.
Dusty May Coaching Career Timeline
May’s rise makes more sense when viewed as a progression rather than a collection of individual jobs.
Indiana student manager → USC basketball operations → Indiana staff → college assistant coach → Florida Atlantic head coach → Michigan head coach → NCAA champion → Dallas Mavericks head coach
Early Coaching Career
After graduating from Indiana University in 2000 with a journalism degree, May joined USC as an administrative assistant and video coordinator. He later returned to Indiana, initially working as video coordinator and then as an administrative assistant.
His assistant-coaching career then included stops at:
- Eastern Michigan
- Murray State
- UAB
- Louisiana Tech
- Florida
Those jobs exposed him to different programs, conferences and coaching staffs before he received his first head-coaching opportunity.
Florida Atlantic — 2018–2024
Florida Atlantic hired May as head coach in 2018.
His first four teams improved gradually rather than becoming national contenders immediately. FAU won 17, 17, 13 and 19 games during his first four seasons before making a dramatic jump in 2022–23.
May ultimately finished his six seasons at FAU with a 126–69 record, a .646 winning percentage and two NCAA Tournament appearances.
FAU’s 2023 Final Four Run
The 2022–23 season changed the trajectory of May’s career.
Florida Atlantic finished 35–4, won the Conference USA regular-season and tournament championships and advanced to the Final Four.
The significance went beyond one postseason run. FAU demonstrated that May could develop a roster capable of winning consistently across an entire season and then translate that success to the NCAA Tournament.
FAU followed that breakthrough with another 25-win season and NCAA Tournament appearance in 2023–24.
Michigan — 2024–2026
Michigan hired May in 2024.
His first Wolverines team went 27–10 and won the Big Ten tournament. The following season produced an even larger jump: Michigan went 37–3, won the Big Ten regular-season championship and captured the national title.
May’s two-season Michigan record was 64–13, an .831 winning percentage.
Michigan’s 2026 National Championship
Michigan defeated UConn 69–63 in Indianapolis on April 6, 2026, giving the Wolverines their first men’s basketball national championship since 1989.
Michigan finished the season 37–3.
The Wolverines’ NCAA Tournament run was especially notable offensively. They became the first team to score at least 90 points in five consecutive games during the tournament before facing a much tighter championship game against UConn.
That contrast also demonstrated something relevant to May’s coaching profile: a team built to score at a high level still had to win a slower, more physical championship game.
Dallas Mavericks — 2026–Present
The Mavericks hired May after Michigan’s championship season.
It is his first NBA head-coaching position and places him within a new basketball operation built around president Masai Ujiri, general manager Mike Schmitz and young star Cooper Flagg.
The transition also reunited May with a familiar player. Dallas selected Morez Johnson Jr., who played for May at Michigan, with the No. 9 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft.
Dusty May Coaching Record
May’s overall numbers show how dramatically his teams progressed during his college head-coaching career.
College Head-Coaching Record by Team
| Team | Record | Win % | Major Achievement |
| Florida Atlantic | 126–69 | .646 | 2023 Final Four |
| Michigan | 64–13 | .831 | 2026 NCAA championship |
| College total | 190–82 | .699 | 2 Final Fours, 1 championship |
NCAA Tournament Record
May’s college postseason résumé includes:
- 12–3 NCAA Tournament record
- 4 NCAA Tournament appearances
- 2 Final Four appearances
- 1 NCAA championship
Those Final Four appearances came with different programs—Florida Atlantic in 2023 and Michigan in 2026.
Dusty May’s Record by Season
| Season | School | Wins | Losses | Win % | Major Postseason Result |
| 2018–19 | Florida Atlantic | 17 | 16 | .515 | — |
| 2019–20 | Florida Atlantic | 17 | 15 | .531 | — |
| 2020–21 | Florida Atlantic | 13 | 10 | .565 | — |
| 2021–22 | Florida Atlantic | 19 | 15 | .559 | — |
| 2022–23 | Florida Atlantic | 35 | 4 | .897 | Final Four |
| 2023–24 | Florida Atlantic | 25 | 9 | .735 | NCAA Tournament |
| 2024–25 | Michigan | 27 | 10 | .730 | NCAA Tournament |
| 2025–26 | Michigan | 37 | 3 | .925 | NCAA champion |
The progression is more informative than the final career percentage alone. May did not begin his head-coaching career with 30-win seasons. FAU developed over several years before its breakthrough, whereas Michigan reached national-title level within his second season.
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What Is Dusty May’s Coaching Style?
May’s coaching style is best understood through principles rather than one formation or play.
His college teams emphasized creating useful spacing, giving players multiple ways to attack a defense and developing lineups capable of adjusting to different opponents.
Offensive Philosophy
Good spacing forces defenders to make difficult choices.
If offensive players are positioned effectively, a defender helping toward the ball can create an opening somewhere else. Ball movement, cutting and quick decisions can then turn that opening into a drive, open shot or pass to another advantage.
May’s best teams have also shown that offensive flexibility matters. Michigan’s 2026 tournament run featured explosive scoring, but the championship game required a different approach when UConn disrupted the Wolverines’ normal rhythm.
That ability to win without relying on one offensive pattern is important when evaluating his system.
How May Uses Big Men
May has shown interest in frontcourt players who can do more than stand near the basket.
A versatile big can screen, pass, make decisions away from the rim and create space for guards. That does not mean every center becomes a perimeter scorer. It means the offense becomes harder to defend when the five players on the floor are not restricted to rigid traditional roles.
This philosophy is particularly relevant in the NBA, where spacing and rapid decision-making can punish defenses that leave an offensive player unattended.
Player Development
One recurring theme in May’s career is expanding what players are comfortable doing.
Development is not simply increasing a player’s scoring average. It can mean improving decision-making, becoming reliable in another defensive assignment, adding passing responsibilities or learning how to contribute in a different lineup.
That type of development becomes especially important when a coach wants several players capable of initiating or continuing an offensive possession.
Roster Flexibility
Versatile players give coaches more solutions.
For example, one lineup might prioritize shooting and spacing while another emphasizes size and rebounding. A roster with multi-skilled players can make those changes without abandoning its basic identity.
May’s college success suggests that roster construction and tactical design are closely connected: a system becomes more adaptable when the roster contains players capable of performing multiple jobs.
How Dusty May Built Winning College Teams
May’s results at FAU and Michigan came in very different circumstances, which makes the similarities between the programs useful to examine.
Building Florida Atlantic Into a Final Four Team
Florida Atlantic’s rise was gradual.
The Owls did not jump immediately from an ordinary season to the Final Four. May’s first four FAU teams won between 13 and 19 games before the 2022–23 group exploded to 35 victories.
That development highlights the value of continuity and improvement.
The lesson is not that every program should wait several years for results. Rather, FAU shows how player development, roster fit, and system familiarity can compound over time.
Using the Transfer Portal at Michigan
Michigan required a different roster-building approach.
Modern college coaches must evaluate returning players while simultaneously recruiting high school prospects and potential transfers. The transfer portal makes rapid rebuilding possible, but it also makes roster fit more complicated.
A collection of talented players does not automatically become a balanced team. Coaches still have to determine who handles the ball, who provides spacing, how minutes are distributed,d and which combinations work defensively.
May’s rapid success at Michigan showed how quickly a roster can become competitive when personnel and roles align.
Balancing Talent, Roles and Roster Fit
A useful way to understand May’s team-building approach is:
Talent → Role fit → Versatility → Chemistry → System fit
This is an explanatory framework rather than a direct quote from May.
Talent provides the raw ability. Role fit determines whether players can contribute without competing for identical responsibilities. Versatility gives coaches tactical alternatives. Chemistry helps those roles coexist, and system fit allows the group to function as a team.
That distinction matters because the most talented roster on paper is not necessarily the easiest roster to coach.
FAU vs. Michigan vs. Dallas — How May’s Role Has Evolved
May’s three most important head-coaching stops represent three distinct challenges.
| Area | Florida Atlantic | Michigan | Dallas |
| Level | NCAA | NCAA | NBA |
| Role | Head coach | Head coach | Head coach |
| Starting year | 2018 | 2024 | 2026 |
| Main environment | Program building | High-major contention | Professional basketball |
| Player acquisition | Recruiting/transfer portal | Recruiting/transfer portal | Draft/trades/free agency |
| Major milestone | 2023 Final Four | 2026 NCAA title | First NBA tenure |
Program Builder at Florida Atlantic
At FAU, May had time to establish a program.
His challenge included recruiting, developing players, and building enough consistency for the Owls to compete nationally.
The 2023 Final Four represented the payoff from that longer development cycle.
Championship Coach at Michigan
Michigan changed the scale and speed of the challenge.
Expectations were higher, Big Ten competition was demanding,g and the transfer-portal era meant roster management could change substantially from one season to another.
May nevertheless reached the NCAA Tournament in his first season and won the championship in his second.
First-Time NBA Coach in Dallas
Dallas presents a completely different test.
May no longer controls roster construction through college recruiting. He works alongside an NBA front office responsible for the draft, trades and free agency.
He also coaches professionals playing an 82-game regular season, requiring faster tactical adjustments and considerably more game-to-game management than a college schedule.
What Changes for Dusty May in the NBA?
Moving from college basketball to the NBA involves more than adapting a playbook.
The structure surrounding the coach changes.
Recruiting vs. NBA Roster Management
College head coaches spend substantial time recruiting and retaining players.
NBA coaches operate differently. Front offices control the draft, trades, contracts and free-agent decisions, although coaches can provide input.
That means May can devote more of his role to coaching while also having less direct control over how the roster is assembled.
NBA Schedule and Game Preparation
An NBA regular season contains 82 games.
Teams frequently play multiple games within a week, sometimes against opponents they recently faced. Coaches therefore have less time for full practices and must make adjustments through film sessions, walkthroughs, and targeted preparation.
The challenge becomes maintaining principles while making small tactical changes quickly.
Coaching Professional Players
NBA rosters also include players with years of professional experience.
Communication becomes particularly important because established veterans already understand their strengths, preferred roles, and the league’s tactical environment.
The relationship is therefore less about teaching every basketball fundamental and more about establishing responsibilities, creating effective combinations, and earning trust.
Tactical Differences
NBA basketball offers more space and contains different defensive rules than the college game.
Elite shooting stretches defenses farther from the basket, while players can punish small positioning errors almost immediately.
A college concept can still work in the NBA, but its timing, spacing, and personnel requirements may need to change.
| Coaching Area | College Basketball | NBA |
| Regular-season schedule | Shorter | 82 games |
| Player acquisition | Recruiting + portal | Draft + trades + free agency |
| Practice opportunities | Generally more | Limited by dense schedule |
| Player experience | Developing athletes | Professional players |
| Roster management | Coach heavily involved | Front-office driven |
| Tactical adjustments | More preparation time | Faster game-to-game changes |
What Dusty May Inherits With the Dallas Mavericks
May arrives in Dallas during a broader organizational transition.
The Mavericks enter 2026–27 with Masai Ujiri as president, Mike Schmitz as general manager and Cooper Flagg as a centerpiece of the roster.
Cooper Flagg
Flagg gives May something every coach values: a young player capable of affecting multiple parts of the game.
For a coach whose college teams benefited from versatile personnel, developing a player who can handle several responsibilities creates tactical possibilities.
The challenge will be balancing development with the expectations attached to a major NBA franchise.
Kyrie Irving
Kyrie Irving brings the opposite type of challenge: experience.
Rather than developing a college player learning a system for the first time, May must integrate accomplished professionals who already have extensive NBA experience.
That requires collaboration. An effective NBA system must use a veteran’s existing strengths rather than forcing every player into a predetermined template.
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A New-Look Mavericks Roster
One of the most interesting roster connections is Morez Johnson Jr.
Dallas selected Johnson with the No. 9 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft after he played for May at Michigan. The Mavericks also added first-round pick Sergio de Larrea and acquired Zaccharie Risacher as part of their broader roster changes.
Having a former Michigan player on the roster gives May at least one young player already familiar with his communication and coaching approach.
Dusty May’s Biggest Career Achievements
May’s career has accelerated considerably since FAU’s breakthrough season.
2023 — Florida Atlantic Final Four: FAU went 35–4 and reached the national semifinals.
2024 — Hired by Michigan: May moved from FAU to one of college basketball’s major programs.
2025 — Big Ten tournament champion: Michigan won 27 games in May’s first season.
2026 — Big Ten regular-season champion: Michigan went 37–3.
2026 — NCAA national champion: The Wolverines defeated UConn 69–63 for Michigan’s first men’s basketball title since 1989.
2026 — Dallas Mavericks head coach: May made his first move into the NBA.
His career record also contains an unusual statistical achievement: his teams produced a 35-win season at FAU and a 37-win championship season at Michigan.
Dusty May’s Personal Life and Family
May generally receives attention for basketball rather than his personal life, but several basic details help explain his Indiana roots and family connection to the sport.
Dusty May’s Wife and Family
May is married to Anna Nonte May.
They have three sons: Jack, Charlie and Eli. Michigan’s athletics biography notes that basketball has remained part of the family’s life, with his sons holding playing, coaching or basketball-operations roles.
Keeping this part of his biography concise is appropriate because May’s public profile is primarily centered on coaching.
Indiana Roots
May is from Bloomfield, Indiana, and graduated from Eastern Greene High School before attending Indiana University.
At Indiana, he earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism in 2000 while serving as a student manager for the men’s basketball program.
Those years provided exposure to scouting, video work and player development before May had a formal assistant-coaching position.
What Makes Dusty May’s Career Path Unusual?
May’s career is distinctive because almost every stage added a different layer of basketball responsibility.
His progression can be summarized as:
Student manager → video/administrative staff → assistant coach → mid-major head coach → Final Four coach → Michigan head coach → NCAA champion → NBA head coach
He learned basketball operations before becoming a full-time assistant. He then spent 13 seasons as an assistant coach before taking over at Florida Atlantic.
FAU required program building.
Michigan required managing higher expectations and quickly assembling a championship-caliber roster.
Dallas now requires adapting those lessons to professional basketball.
There is no guarantee that college success translates directly to the NBA; the environments are too different for that assumption. But May’s path explains why his first NBA season is noteworthy: he has moved through several levels of basketball without relying on a high-profile playing résumé as his entry point.
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Conclusion — Dusty May’s Next Chapter in Dallas
Dusty May’s coaching career has progressed from behind-the-scenes work at Indiana to some of the highest-profile jobs in basketball.
Florida Atlantic established his reputation when the Owls reached the 2023 Final Four. Michigan elevated it further, as May went 64–13 in two seasons and led the Wolverines to the 2026 NCAA championship. Dallas then hired him for his first NBA head-coaching job.
The next stage will require adaptation rather than simply reproducing his college formula. Recruiting becomes NBA roster management, longer preparation windows become an 82-game schedule, and college player development becomes coaching a mix of young prospects and established professionals.
For readers following May’s career, the key question is therefore no longer how he reached the NBA. It is how the principles that worked at FAU and Michigan will evolve in Dallas.
Frequently Asked Questions About Dusty May
Who is Dusty May?
Dusty May is an American professional basketball coach who is the head coach for the Dallas Mavericks of the National Basketball Association (NBA). His prior coaching experience includes stints with Florida Atlantic and Michigan — where he won the 2026 NCAA men’s basketball title.
Why is Dusty May still coaching
May is the Dallas Mavericks head coach for the 2026–27 NBA season. He was formally introduced with the Dallas front office in June of ’26.
How old is Dusty May?
Date of Birth/Birthday: 30 December 1976, which means He will turn 49 Years Old.
Too: As Michigan basketball chases its first national championship since 1989, Dusty May explains the state of the Gators program from afar. Dusty May on why he left Michigan.
After winning the 2026 national title, May left Michigan for his first NBA head-coaching opportunity in Dallas. It allowed him to pivot from college basketball, where he had been coaching in the only way and on a roster built around players like Cooper Flagg.
Was Dusty May a National Champion?
Yes. May led Michigan to the NCAA men’s basketball championship game in 2026. The eventual champions narrowly defeated UConn 69–63 in the championship game and compiled a record of 37–3.
Q: What was Dusty May at Michigan?
May went 64–13 (. 831) over two seasons at Michigan. His Wolverines went 27–game winners in 2024–25 and then again won 37 games in 2025- 26.
Dusty May’s college coaching record. What was Dusty May’s record at Florida Atlantic?
May compiled a 126–69 (. 646) record in six years at Florida Atlantic. He finished with his best FAU team with a record of 35–4 that reached the 2023 Final Four.
Dusty May played College Basketball for the Florida Atlantic Owls in 1999-2000 and Utah Utes from 1997-1998.
The résumé for May was not built on a College Football Playoff appearance. From 1996-2000, he was a student manager at Indiana University, where he worked under Bob Knight before moving into basketball operations and coaching.
What is the coaching style of Dusty May?
May believes in spacing, moving the ball, quick decisions, versatile players, and developing personnel. His most successful college teams didn’t have one strict lineup; they utilized different combinations of players to match up with their opponents.
Was Dusty May previously a coach in the NBA?
No. May gets his first opportunity to serve as an NBA head coach with the Mavericks job. Before joining the Dallas coaching staff, all of his coaching experience had come in college basketball.
