Will Mavericks' Hire of Michigan's Dusty May Impact 2026 NBA Draft Plans?

The Dallas Mavericks have their man. It was announced on Monday morning that they were hiring Dusty May to be the 11th head coach in franchise history, bringing over the reigning national champion from the college ranks. May was only at Michigan for two seasons, but the fact that he was able to win a championship in just his second season there shows his coaching prowess.

May also led Florida Atlantic to the Final Four a few years ago, a tremendous accomplishment for that kind of school. He has quickly risen the coaching ladder to the NBA, and the Mavericks think he will be the perfect leader for Cooper Flagg.

It will be right to work for Dusty May, as the NBA Draft is tomorrow. Could his connection to Michigan impact the Mavs' draft plans?

Michigan basketball coach Dusty May answers questions from the media the day before his team’s championship game against UConn at the Final Four at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Indiana on Sunday, April 5, 2026. | Eric Seals / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Three Michigan Players to Watch in NBA Draft

Michigan has three players who are projected to go in the first round, but none of them would be ideal fits with the Mavs, at least as of now. That could change, as trade rumors are flying around multiple players, including Daniel Gafford, Naji Marshall, and Klay Thompson.

The three Wolverines to keep an eye on are Yaxel Lendeborg, Morez Johnson, and Aday Mara. All three players are projected to go within the top 20, but not necessarily the top 10, and the Mavs currently hold the 9th, 30th, and 48th picks. Picking any of them at 9 would feel unneccesary, even if there's a chance Mara goes 8th to the Atlanta Hawks.

The Dallas Mavericks are one of the known teams interested in trading down, as NBA insider Marc Stein has reported that the Mavericks have discussed the framework of a trade with the OKC Thunder for picks 12 and 17. If they take that, while also offloading someone like Naji Marshall elsewhere, it would make sense to take someone like Lendeborg, who is a versatile but older wing that a lot of teams like.

If they offload Gafford in a trade, either Morez Johnson or Aday Mara would be good fits. They want a center to pair with Dereck Lively II because of his extensive injury history, and the new regime of Masai Ujiri and Mike Schmitz has no ties to anyone on the roster. Dusty May doesn't either.

It will be interesting to see what scheme May designs for this team. He won a national championship on the backs of a dominant frontcourt, but they shot the three very well, shooting 36.8%. That will have to be the trend moving forward.

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