Former Michigan HC Dusty May Wasn't Dallas Mavericks' First Collegiate Choice

According to NBA insider Brian Windhorst, May wasn't Dallas' first choice.

Matthew O'Haren-Imagn Images

Dusty May has been officially introduced as the Dallas Mavericks head coach, signaling a two-year stay with the Michigan Wolverines. While it was short lived, May's tenure with Michigan was nothing short of greatness.

May helped an eight-win team get to the Sweet 16 in his first season, and then led the Wolverines to a national title last season. With so much success at both FAU and Michigan, it's easy to see why Dallas targeted him.

However, according to NBA insider Brian Windhorst, Dallas coveted Duke head coach Jon Scheyer, and made multiple efforts to land him prior to May.

Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

"They did," Windhorst told Rich Eisen. "They did, from what I understand, Scheyer said no, that he wants to win. He wants to win a championship at Duke before he would ever consider anything. And from what I understand, after they couldn't get those championship level coaches, they came back to him and said, "Are you sure you don't want to coach Cooper flag?" And he said, "No, I'm sure I want to win a championship at Duke." So I think they tried to. They tried multiple times to get him."

Once Scheyer continued to tell Dallas no, the Mavericks went to May with a lucerative offer — although numbers haven't been released as of this writing.

The NIL era was a factor in May's decision

While May was expected to stay as the head coach at Michigan for a few more seasons, it was known he had aspirations to coach at the NBA level. But once Michigan's AD Warde Manuel announced he and May had agreed to a new contract extension, that made people forget about his NBA dreams.

May wasn't seeking a new opportunity to coach anywhere else at the collegiate level. He had it made at Michigan, but according to Windhorst and from what he was hearing, the new era of Name, Image, and Likeness continues to run coaches off and that's what did it for May.

Plus, with May's success, his name continued to circulate around the NBA as a coach to target.

Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

"Because the NIL is hell" Windhorst said. "It's hell. The thing is he agreed to a contract extension in Michigan, but he didn't sign it from what I understand...I think he was eyeing this opportunity," said Windhorst.

"It's my understanding, had Steve Kerr retired he would have been on the short list for the Warriors and I think he was on the list of several other teams that had openings."

With May off to the NBA, Mike Boynton was named the interim head coach at Michigan, but the former Oklahoma State head coach is hoping to have that tag removed soon, proving to be the man for the job.