What May's Departure From UM Means for MSU, Izzo Moving Forward

The Big Ten basketball landscape's Richter scale has shot way up on a random Monday morning in June.

Michigan head coach Dusty May is leaving the Wolverines behind after just two seasons, according to numerous reports. The national title-winning coach is set to become the new head coach for the NBA's Dallas Mavericks.

Immediate Impact on Michigan State

Michigan State’s Tom Izzo smiles as he greets Michigan’s Dusty May before their rivalry matchup game at Crisler Center in Ann Arbor, on Friday, Feb. 21, 2025. | David Rodriguez Munoz / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Certainly, this will help clear the path for Michigan State a little bit in the 2026-27 season. UM was set to run back one of the nation's best rosters this coming winter and spring, but everything is now in doubt.

Michigan will have to undergo a super-late coaching search where quality candidates might be a bit scarce, or promote internally. Once a hire is announced, all of its players will have a window to leave in the transfer portal. The fact that most rosters are set should mitigate damage there, but UM has good enough players that one would think teams will make room for them, such as Elliot Cadeau, who was named the Most Outstanding Player of the NCAA Tournament in 2026.

Apr 6, 2026; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Michigan Wolverines guard Elliot Cadeau (3) celebrates after a play against the UConn Huskies in the second half during the national championship of the Final Four of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Lucas Oil Stadium. | Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

All the players on the roster have probably signed some sort of legally binding deals to play for Michigan, though. What would be interesting to explore is whether any of those contracts have exit clauses that may void out deals in the event of May's departure. Regardless, the portal won't reopen for UM players until a new coach is in charge. It may be a bit.

As is tradition, MSU and Michigan are set to play twice this year. Those are two games on the Spartans' loaded schedule that will be made a little bit easier. Whoever UM picks to succeed May probably won't be as effective in the long run, too. May took the Wolverines from an 8-24 season in the final year of Juwan Howard to a title in two seasons, after all. Good luck replicating that.

Michigan head coach Dusty May smiles at the podium during a celebration honoring the Wolverines’ NCAA men’s basketball national championship at Crisler Center in Ann Arbor on Saturday, April 11, 2026. | David Rodriguez Muñoz / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The weakening of the Spartans' bitter rival is always a big deal. It had seemed like May was ready to sign a long-term extension with Michigan for some time. Michigan State fans certainly don't have to like May, but we can be honest with ourselves here and admit that May's departure is a big relief.

Overall, the news is certainly stunning. There weren't really many super-recent rumblings that May was seriously considering an NBA job. It had felt like a possibility, but May has never worked in the NBA before and not many college coaches get the call-up these days. He's actually the first person to go from running a college program to being an NBA head coach since John Beilein also left Michigan in 2019.

Be Thankful for Tom Izzo

Michigan State's Tom Izzo walks in with his staff against Louisville in the second round of the NCAA Tournament at the KeyBank Center on Saturday, March 21, 2026. | Starr Portice, Michigan State Spartans on SI

I'm not going to sit here and fault May for taking an NBA job. It's the pinnacle of the sport, after all. After an initial round of cheers and perhaps a small amount of laughter, MSU fans should focus a bit on how fortunate they are to have Tom Izzo.

It was a long time ago, but he was in a near-identical spot as May back in 2000. He was a few years younger than May is now when he won the national title back then. The Atlanta Hawks came calling and tried to give him a Godfather offer to get him to leave Michigan State. He said "no" and stuck around. The Cleveland Cavaliers tried to pry him away in 2010, but he turned them down, too.

Izzo is still here and about to enter his 32nd season in charge of the Spartans. The years here will reach 44 when you include his years as an assistant under Jud Heathcote. He's not even an alumnus, but Michigan State has somebody in charge of the program and the university as an ultimate destination. He's the second-longest-tenured coach in Division I men's basketball, only behind his good friend, Greg Kampe of Oakland.

The next Michigan coach will be the seventh different leader for the Wolverines since Izzo became the head coach at MSU: Steve Fisher, Brian Ellerbe, Tommy Amaker, Beilein, Juwan Howard, May, and now someone new. Michigan is a job with enough pull that it'll probably find someone good, but this is a seismic shift for college basketball, the Big Ten, and the state of Michigan as a whole.

Michigan State's Tom Izzo gives instructions during a game against Louisville in the second round of the NCAA Tournament at the KeyBank Center on Saturday, March 21, 2026. | Starr Portice, Michigan State Spartans on SI

Izzo is also probably hoping that he can get along with the next coach a little bit more. He and May had some pretty quick handshakes last season and some disagreements (specifically about Jeremy Fears Jr.'s antics) during press conferences.

The hope might be that the next coach can create a more respectful tone, like it was when Beilein and Izzo were battling one another. Izzo likely only has so many years left before he hangs up the whistle, though, so anything super-long-term seems unlikely.

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