Sports

Michigan Basketball Braces For Transfer Portal Exodus After Dusty May Chose Cooper Flagg

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Dusty May is leaving Michigan to the Dallas Mavericks.


Michigan basketball coach Dusty May is leaving Ann Arbor. He will be hired as the next coach of the Dallas Mavericks.

The move will trigger a transfer window giving current roster members an opportunity to weigh their options. The defending national champions could look much different in 2026-27.

Dusty May is headed to the NBA.

ESPN broke the story on Monday morning. May, who was hired at Michigan two seasons ago, will accept an offer from the Mavericks.

That move will likely come with a pay raise. Former Dallas head coach Jason Kidd parted ways with the organization after the 2025-26 season. He was still owed $40 million over four remaining years after signing a recent contract extension.

May signed a deal with the Wolverines that made him one of college basketball’s highest paid coaches. His salary was reported at $5.1 million through 2030. He could double his income in the NBA.

Money wasn’t the only factor in May’s decision, though. It’s been widely speculated that he desired a professional job. The ability to coach No. 1 overall pick Cooper Flagg ultimately swayed him to leave Ann Arbor.

Flagg is the reigning Rookie of the Year. The former Duke star scored 21 points a night in his first NBA season. The allure of coaching the phenom was too enticing to pass up. The Wolverines will now brace for the aftermath.

Michigan won the national championship in May’s second season. Many of those pieces were expected to return in 2026-27 to defend that title. Now, there is doubt.

Will Wolverines transfer?

Dusty May brought boatloads of talent to the program last offseason. Included were transfers Yaxel Lendeborg, Elliot Cadeau, Aday Mara, and Morez Johnson Jr. while the high school class boasted key contributor Trey McKinney.

Three of those players are projected NBA lottery picks. Cadeau and McKinney were expected to return next year, as was underclassman Oscar Goodman.

May also signed a recruiting class this past offseason that ranked No. 2 nationally. Attrition could follow the recent announcement. Some may have been blindsided by the news. Below is May’s outlook on the future in April.

Coaching changes trigger transfer portal movement. Five days after Michigan finds its replacement for Dusty May, a 15-day window will open.

Those that signed with the Wolverines specifically to be coached by May might have second thoughts. Programs that missed on talent over the offseason will be foaming at the mouth.

Kentucky, LSU, and North Carolina immediately come to mind. Those are three major schools that can offer significant NIL deals in hopes of bolstering their rosters.

UNC and LSU are both welcoming new staffs. They were behind the eight-ball a bit in recruiting during their first offseasons. Mark Pope’s whiffs have been well-documented.

Each will have the budget to attract top talent.

Those teams and more will look to poach Michigan players. They’ll have an opportunity to do so with Dusty May moving on.