Dusty May literally promised the Michigan Wolverines fanbase that he wasn’t going to leave after a remarkable 37-3 championship season. But that’s what he exactly did. And as painful as that may be for Michigan fans, it is also quite understandable. It is difficult to say no to the opportunity to coach an NBA team. That is the kind of dream almost every basketball coach nurtures at some point. For May, taking over as the new head coach of the Dallas Mavericks is clearly an honor.

“I am honored to join the Dallas Mavericks organization,” May said, speaking on becoming the new head coach of the Dallas Mavericks, as shared by Mavs writer Mike Curtis. “This is one of the most respected franchises in professional sports, with passionate fans, a talented roster, and a clear commitment to building a championship organization. I am grateful to Patrick Dumont, Masai Ujiri, and the Mavericks organization for this opportunity. And I look forward to helping bring another championship to the city of Dallas.”

May joined the Michigan Wolverines in 2024 and and spent two seasons with the program. He inherited a broken team that had just finished last in the Big Ten with an 8-24 record. But in those two seasons, he managed to completely turn things around.

He won the Big Ten Tournament Championship and advanced to the Sweet 16 in his first season. In his second season, he achieved the historic 37-3 record, marking the most single-season wins in program history. That season culminated in an NCAA championship, the second national title in school history and the program’s first since 1989.

In a way, the exact situation the Wolverines were in when May arrived is quite similar to what the Dallas Mavericks have now found themselves in ahead of his arrival. He is replacing Jason Kidd, who led the Mavericks through a dismal 26-56 season that saw them miss the playoffs and completely fall out of Western Conference contention. Dallas fans will definitely be hoping that the same turnaround May brought to the Wolverines will happen again with the Mavericks. And perhaps that is why they signed him in the first place.

However, while fans on the Dallas Mavericks side are happy and hopeful with the arrival of Dusty May, it is an entirely different case in the camp of the Michigan Wolverines. In fact, the mood back there is one of anger and disappointment. After everything they had built together, Michigan fans believed they had found the coach who would lead the program for the foreseeable future. Seeing him leave after such a historic season is painful enough. But it becomes even more painful given that May publicly stated that he wasn’t going to leave.

By leaving the Wolverines for Dallas, coach Dusty May became the first national championship-winning college basketball coach to leave his program for another job in the immediate offseason following a title since Larry Brown left Kansas for the NBA in 1988. Brown turned out successful back then. Hopefully, that is what will also happen with May. But there is no doubt that Wolverines fans will be watching closely, and probably with mixed feelings.

“This Wasn’t an Easy Decision” – Dusty May Sends Heartfelt Message to Michigan Fans After Difficult Exit

It was quite a difficult moment for Michigan Wolverines fans. Having to see Dusty May leave for the Dallas Mavericks after everything they had achieved together in the two seasons he was head coach of the program was sad. But as it appears, that feeling is mutual. For coach Dusty May as well, leaving Michigan was also a very difficult decision to make.

“This wasn’t an easy decision,” May wrote in a farewell message he shared on his X page. “An opportunity came along that was right for my family and something I felt I needed to pursue. But that doesn’t change how much these last two years have meant to us. Ann Arbor became home, and we’ll always be grateful for the relationships and memories that came from our time here.”

For coach May, being at Michigan already did feel like home. But then, the opportunity to coach in the NBA was something he could not pass up on. And even if he and his family will now be away from Ann Arbor, the experience and relationships they had there are things they will always appreciate.

There are also the achievements, which are very much worth celebrating. Coming to Michigan and reviving the Wolverines program, as he also mentioned in his farewell message, was the goal for coach Dusty May. And he did achieve it.

“When my family and I came to Ann Arbor two years ago, we hoped we could help bring Michigan basketball back to where it belongs. I never could have imagined how special these last two seasons would be,” he added.

Perhaps that is enough reason for Michigan Wolverines fans to celebrate, rather than the backlash that has followed his departure. “Don’t cry because it’s over, smile because it happened,” they say. And in the case of Dusty May and the Michigan Wolverines, there is definitely a lot to smile about.