How do College Coaches Fair in the NBA: Important Stats as Dusty May Takes Over Mavs

The Dallas Mavericks have their new head coach, as it was announced on Monday that they would be hiring Michigan's Dusty May. The move came as a big surprise, as many around the NBA thought they'd go in the direction of a current NBA assistant coach, but they took a big swing on the reigning college national champion.

This is a big risk, though. Dusty May has never spent time in the NBA, and it's an entirely different game between college and the NBA. We've seen a handful of NBA assistants take head coaching jobs in college, but the college coaches taking NBA jobs is a rarer path, especially recently.

Here is a look at the recent history of college coaches with little to no NBA coaching experience jumping to the NBA.

John Beilein - Michigan to Cleveland Cavaliers

The most recent example of a college coach jumping to the NBA actually happens to be another Michigan coach, but the Mavericks need to hope it doesn't turn out like this one.

John Beilein spent 12 years at Michigan before departing for the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2019, despite having no previous NBA coaching experience. That tenure did not go well, as he coached there for just 54 games, going 14-40, before he was fired. It always felt like a weird fit, but it went horribly, horribly wrong.

Apr 12, 2026; Dallas, Texas, USA; Chicago Bulls head coach Billy Donovan reacts against the Dallas Mavericks during the first half at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images | Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

Bill Donovan - Florida to OKC Thunder

In 2015, the OKC Thunder fired Scott Brooks to hire 2-time college national champion, Billy Donovan. He spent a year as a player with the New York Knicks in the 1980s, but it was his only NBA experience prior to getting the OKC job.

After five years with the Thunder, he took a job with the Chicago Bulls, leaving them this offseason. In 11 years as an NBA coach, Donovan has gone 469-413, only winning more than 50 games in a season once. Kevin Durant left OKC after Donovan's first season, and the Bulls are just a mess, top to bottom.

Fred Hoiberg - Iowa State to Chicago Bulls

Fred Hoiberg had a longer playing career in the NBA, spending a decade in the league, but he hadn't spent any time there as a coach before getting the call to jump from Iowa State to the Chicago Bulls in 2015.

This one also did not go well. He was fired early into his fourth season, going 115-155, just barely getting above .500 once.

Brad Stevens - Butler to Boston Celtics

If there's one you want it to turn out like, it's Brad Stevens. He led upstart Butler to back-to-back national championship appearances before bolting for the Boston Celtics, where he had a lot of success, despite not having a lot of talent initially.

Before taking a spot in Boston's front office, Stevens went 354-282. It was a climb that started with a 25-57 season. By year 4, he was in the Eastern Conference Finals. He's been even better as an executive, but he was a really good coach, too.

Mike Montgomery - Stanford to Golden State Warriors

I've skipped over Reggie Theus, as he was only a college coach for a few years before going back to the NBA, where he was a two-time All-Star as a player. Instead, we he Mike Montgomery, who has been the head coach of Stanford from 1986 until 2004, when the Golden State Warriors tasked him to lead the team.

He lasted just two years, going 34-48 each season, before going back to the college ranks to coach Cal.

Lon Kruger - Illinois to Atlanta Hawks

Lon Kruger had a very successful tenure as a college coach, making two Final Fours. The same cannot be said for his two and a half years in Atlanta, where he went just 69-122 before being fired.

To say the history has not been kind for college coaches jumping to the NBA would be putting it lightly. Most don't even get a contract extension, and this doesn't include Rick Pitino or John Calipari, who each had tremendous blowups in the NBA.

There also haven't been a lot of examples of college coaches going to the NBA. It's not a big enough sample to say "this is what to expect." With only 6 coaches making that jump since 2000 before Dusty May and only one of them really being a success, it does cause reason for concern.

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