Dusty May is making the jump from college basketball to the NBA to become the next Dallas Mavericks coach.
It’s a significant move within college basketball, considering May just led Michigan to the national championship, is one of the top coaches in his profession and had been in talks with the Wolverines for a contract extension.
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Opinion: Days before leaving, Dusty May sounded all-in at Michigan. Then, poof!
According to multiple reports, May wasn’t the only prominent college basketball coach to have interest in the Mavericks’ job, which comes with coaching 2025-26 NBA Rookie of the Year Cooper Flagg. Per the Field of 68’s Jeff Goodman, Flagg’s college coach, Jon Scheyer, had “major interest” in the position but elected to stay with the Blue Devils.
Shortly after news broke May was leaving the Wolverines after two seasons, Duke’s social media team posted a photo of a young Scheyer in a Duke T‑Shirt — perhaps a Bat‑signal–style nod meant to signal his commitment to his alma mater.
Scheyer and Flagg were awfully successful in their lone season together in Durham, which included a 35-4 overall record and the program’s first Final Four appearance in the post-Mike Krzyzewski era.
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Named the Naismith and Associated Press Player of the Year, Flagg averaged 19.2 points, 7.5 rebounds and 4.2 assists per game in the 2024-25 season under Scheyer. In the Blue Devils’ Final Four loss to Houston, Flagg scored 27 points to go along with seven rebounds, four assists, three blocks and two steals, making him the first player since defensive stats became official in 1986 to lead a team in all five categories in a Final Four game.
He was selected with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft by the Mavericks.
Duke is expected to be one of the top teams in the country once again under Scheyer this season. The Blue Devils return guard Caleb Foster and center Patrick Ngongba II, while they added Wisconsin guard John Blackwell and Belmont forward Drew Scharnowski to the roster through the transfer portal.
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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Jon Scheyer wanted Mavs job, stayed at Duke. Dusty May bolted for NBA
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