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NBA·June 22, 2026 11:39 AM ET

Dusty May first college coach to go straight to NBA since Beilein in 2019

Michigan's May jumps to Dallas with no pro experience.

Wire Report IntelligenceUpdated Jun 221 min read
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Dusty May, as @LevAkabas notes in the graphic below, is the first coach to jump from college (Michigan) to the NBA (Mave

What happened: Dusty May is leaving Michigan to become head coach of the Dallas Mavericks. He becomes the first coach to move directly from the college ranks to an NBA head job without prior pro head coaching experience since John Beilein made the same leap from Michigan to the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2019.

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Why it matters: Direct college-to-NBA head coaching jumps are rare, and the few recent precedents carry weight. Beilein's 2019 move from Michigan to Cleveland ended after less than one season, making May's transition a notable test of whether a college program-builder can translate to the pro game in Dallas.

By the numbers: May is only the second coach in roughly the past decade to step into an NBA head role straight from college with no pro head coaching background, following Beilein (Michigan to Cleveland, 2019). Both coaches made the jump from the same school, Michigan.

What to watch: Watch for the Mavericks to formalize May's hiring and assemble his staff ahead of the 2026-27 season, and for how Dallas frames the fit after Beilein's short-lived NBA stint.

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