The coaching career of Dusty May has been an inspiring underdog story that started in 2005. He bounced around multiple mid-major programs as an assistant before landing at Florida Atlantic as the Owls’ Men’s Basketball head coach in 2018.

Five years into his tenure in Boca Raton, gold was struck, with May leading FAU to its first-ever Final Four appearance in 2023 as well as a second straight March Madness berth in 2024.

May then took over the reigns of the Michigan Wolverines where after just two seasons, led the blue and gold to just their second National Championship this past season.

Now, the Indiana alumni is making his biggest jump yet:

The 49-year-old May is set to become the 11th head coach in the history of the Dallas Mavericks, taking over for former head coach and Mavs’ point guard Jason Kidd, who was dismissed just over a month ago after a disappointing 56-loss season.

From coaching great college players like Alijah Martin and Johnell Davis at FAU, Vlad Goldin and Yaxel Lendeborg at Michigan, May will now take control of an NBA roster with lots of talent including 9-time All-Star guard Kyrie Irving and former No. 1 overall pick and rising superstar forward Cooper Flagg. With Flagg specifically, it’s been reported by Pete Thamel that getting the chance to coach the 6-foot-9 Duke product was a big allure that drew him into taking the job.

From Florida Atlantic all the way to the NBA in just eight years, Dusty May has turned into one of the greatest coaching success stories in college basketball history, and his story is still being written as he will look to bring the Mavericks and the city of Dallas back to the NBA mountaintop.

Cover Photo Credits: Christian Proscia