DALLAS (AP) 鈥� Dusty May’s only dream growing up was coaching high school basketball in his home state of Indiana.
That’s not to say he isn’t ready for the jump from college to the NBA with the Dallas Mavericks after this past spring.
鈥淭his is all too big of a dream,鈥� May said Monday at his introductory news conference, a week after news broke that the with an impressive college resume.
鈥淚 did start preparing for this years ago, going to watch and trying to figure out if I could do this well. But as far as dreaming about coaching in the NBA, I never dreamed of coaching in the NBA, of coaching college, of coaching anywhere other than just being a coach in high school in my state. So as far a dream, no, this wasn鈥檛 a dream. But now, I鈥檝e been preparing for this, to go against the best, for a long time.鈥�
May spoke with to his left on a stage on the practice court of the club’s arena. His wife and three boys were in the first row, with right behind them.
Also in the crowd was Morez Johnson Jr., last week by the Mavericks as the first of taken in a span of four lottery selections.
Yaxel Lendeborg, the No. 11 choice before Aday Mara went one pick later, had jokingly accused May of playing favorites with Johnson. May has no problem with that characterization now.
鈥淚鈥檓 on Rez鈥檚 team now, so he鈥檚 definitely my favorite,鈥� said May, who reiterated new general manager Mike Schmitz’s message on draft night that May had little to do with Dallas picking Johnson. 鈥淭hose guys, they had some friendly banter with all that. But the beautiful part of it, there was never any envy. These guys were each other鈥檚 biggest fans. And that鈥檚 one thing that we want to bring here to the Dallas Mavericks.鈥�
A sudden shift
May is replacing Jason Kidd, two weeks after . The Mavericks have missed the playoffs the past two seasons after reaching the 2024 NBA Finals behind Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving.
The landscape shifted suddenly with the shocking trade of Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers in February 2025. Nico Harrison, the engineer of that middle-of-the-night deal, was fired as general manager in November with the team off to a slow start last season.
Ujiri didn’t come on board until after Dallas finished with a 26-56 record, its worst since losing 58 games the season before getting Doncic, the third overall pick in 2018.
Schmitz was hired days after Ujiri’s introduction, and with the coaching staff complete, the Mavericks have wrapped up 17 months of upheaval by finishing the move into a new era.
鈥淲e want to bring joy back to basketball here,鈥� Ujiri said. 鈥淚t is a goal and I know we鈥檙e going to do it and I know the beginning of this joy and this goal starts here with this guy that we welcome as our basketball coach.鈥�
May’s new roster
Flagg is the centerpiece of a roster that includes two veterans with NBA championship pedigrees in Kyrie Irving and Klay Thompson. Irving missed all of last season after tearing the ACL in his left knee in March 2025, a month after the Doncic trade.
Johnson has a chance to contribute to a frontcourt that includes 2023 first-round pick Dereck Lively II, whose career has been plagued by injuries, fellow center Daniel Gafford and forward P.J. Washington Jr.
Irving improves the outlook of the backcourt considerably, and the Mavericks on Monday exercised their 2026-27 contract option on point guard Ryan Nembhard, an undrafted rookie a year ago.
Flagg played plenty of point guard early in his only season under Kidd and has said he’ll be better for it if he settles into a more familiar role as a wing or small forward.
鈥淲e have some really unique pieces,鈥� May said. 鈥淢asai said, we鈥檙e here to win. When you have the nucleus we have, you can figure out a way to overachieve until you become the best team.鈥�
Easing the transition?
Seven years ago, another Michigan coach 鈥� John Beilein 鈥� made the jump to the NBA but didn’t last one season. May has the advantage of his two seasons with the Wolverines coming in the era of players being paid for name, image and likeness.
May, who also led Florida Atlantic to its only Final Four appearance, sees 鈥渟imilar problems, similar issues, similar challenges鈥� in college and pro games that are 鈥渃loser than ever.鈥� He also sees limits to his advantage.
鈥淚t鈥檚 like being a parent,鈥� May said. 鈥淵ou’re never prepared, you’re never ready. But hopefully you’ve prepared and done everything in your power to tackle all the challenges.鈥�
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