The Dallas Mavericks have a new head coach, as they hired Dusty May away from the University of Michigan one day before the 2026 NBA Draft. Hiring a college coach can be a little risky, as there isn't much history of it being successful in the last 26 years, but there also isn't much history to begin with. Brad Stevens is really the only one in recent memory that you could say was absolutely a success. The timing of it was also a surprise. May had just won a national championship with Michigan in April, just his second season coaching the Wolverines. They had already gone through the transfer portal, so the roster was finalized, and May himself said he was fully planning on coaching them again before he was approached at the NBA Combine by the Mavs about his potential interest in the job. However, the Mavericks may not have been the only team interested in Dusty May. Jun 29, 2026; Dallas, TX, USA; New Dallas Mavericks’ head coach Dusty May answers questions from the media during an introductory press conference at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters ConnectAccording to ESPN's Brian Windhorst, Dusty May would've been an option for the Golden State Warriors had Steve Kerr stepped down. “I think had Steve Kerr not re-signed in Golden State, Dusty May would have been on the Warriors’ short list,” Windhorst said on an episode of the "Hoop Collective" podcast. “I think he was on the short list a couple of other places, and he was clearly on the short list for the Mavericks.“As far as I know, he agreed to a contract extension at Michigan. Obviously, he won the national title, but he never signed it. I don’t think it’s unheard of for a college coach to not sign a contract right away, sometimes it goes months, but I think he was keeping an eye on NBA options all along.”Steve Kerr Returning May Have Helped MavericksJan 22, 2026; Dallas, Texas, USA; Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr reacts against the Dallas Mavericks during the second half at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters ConnectSteve Kerr deliberated for a long time on whether or not he was going to return to the sidelines of the Warriors. His back has been giving him issues for years, and he clearly doesn't enjoy it as much as he used to. The Warriors also just aren't as strong as they were, but nobody has come close to touching their five-year run in the latter half of the 2010s since then. It's a new brand of basketball now. Kerr going back allowed the Mavericks to chase Dusty May, who said the Mavericks checked every box for him. Maybe the no state income tax and the ability to coach Cooper Flagg would've won out either way, but the Warriors have Curry and drafted a Michigan player of their own: Yaxel Lendeborg. In the end, the Mavericks got their guy. May said it was never really his goal to move to the NBA, but this was an opportunity to prove himself against the best in the world after winning at all levels previously. Sign up to our free newsletter and follow us on X for the latest news.Add us as a preferred source on GoogleFollow