Dusty May is leaving Ann Arbor and so are three of the players who helped him bring a national men's basketball championship to the University of Michigan.
They're all heading to the NBA.
Michigan Public commentator John U. Bacon joined Morning Edition host Doug Tribou for a look at that story and other sports news.
Doug Tribou: John, I believe it was Julius Caesar, who famously said, “I came. I saw. I conquered. I accepted a lucrative multi-year contract to move on to coach in the NBA.”
This week, University of Michigan men’s basketball coach Dusty May resigned to become the head coach of the Dallas Mavericks. May’s tenure in Ann Arbor ends after two seasons and one national championship.
What are your thoughts on May’s decision and how will you look back on his time at U of M?
John U. Bacon: Well, first of all, your Caesar quote is even better in the Latin, especially the part about the lucrative deal. [Laughs] But anyway, not important now. Very positive obviously. I mean, two years to turn it around. ... That program was miserable. Two years ago, truly miserable. The record was abysmal. The culture was gutted. After [former head coach] Juwan Howard, it was a bad situation.
So, I mean, hats off. One of the best coaching jobs I've ever seen, and obviously, Michigan's second national title of all time going back 37 years. So all positive there. Of course, the drag of it is, why did it end so soon?
DT: In Dallas, Dusty May will be quickly reunited with one of his star players at U of M. The Mavs drafted forward Morez Johnson with the ninth pick in the NBA draft this week. At No. 11, the Golden State Warriors selected Big Ten Player of the Year Yaxel Lendeborg and at No. 12, the Oklahoma City Thunder took 7-foot-3 center Aday Mara. Amazingly, all of those players were at Michigan for less time than Dusty May.
JUB: That is true. That's a new modern stat. Welcome to the modern world of sports, of course. But also it's pretty impressive that some of those guys were on the bench [in 2024-25] for other teams. So Dusty really did do a great job. But man, that's a lot of talent walking out the door.
DT: Assistant coach Mike Boynton, Jr. is taking over as interim coach. Michigan Athletic Director Warde Manuel made that announcement, but did not even mention a search for a permanent replacement. What does all of this mean for the immediate future of the Michigan men’s basketball program?
JUB: Michigan has been here before and recently. A few things. One, by keeping Boynton — a very highly regarded assistant coach — you greatly increase the odds of keeping the players you currently have on the roster, national-championship players, obviously, except for those NBA draft picks who are gone. So in the early going, that probably gives you some stability.
What's probably going to happen is, he's going to be named the permanent coach somewhere during the season — Boynton, that is. And then you've got a former interim as a head coach. And then you miss out on other possible coaches like [former University of Florida and Chicago Bulls coach] Billy Donovan and others out there. So, man, hard to say, but definitely not great news overall.
DT: Meanwhile, we are still awaiting details of the independent investigation into the football program, after the firing of head coach Sherrone Moore, and the athletic department as a whole. The Chicago law firm Jenner & Block was hired last year to do that investigation. What are your sources saying about the status of that report?
JUB: Well, first of all, the price tag is between $10 million and $12 million, somewhere in there. So that's good work if you can get it, I guess. But number two is some say it was done as early as April. So they've been sitting on this report the whole time. Been very quiet about it.
This is the exact opposite approach they took with the Dr. [Robert] Anderson report. You recall that horrible situation. Michigan hired another firm to investigate that and gave them strict instructions: no interference, and the second you finish it, you email it directly to both the Board of Regents and The Michigan Daily [student newspaper] to make sure it gets out without any tampering.
Here, they're doing just the opposite. They're being quiet about it. They're acting like it doesn't exist. Never turn a one-day story into a two-day story. That report is about a seven-month story. Not good.
"[U of M officials are] being quiet about it. They're acting like it doesn't exist. Never turn a one-day story into a two-day story. That report is about a seven-month story. Not good."John U. Bacon on the independent report on the Michigan athletics department, which has not been made public
DT: To go back to basketball, in the NBA draft, the Pistons made a draft-day deal and landed Stanford point guard Ebuka Okorie. Okorie played one season of college ball. He’s expected to be an option that will take some responsibility for handling the ball off of star guard Cade Cunningham. What else do the Pistons need to do to make the most of Cunningham’s prime years?
JUB: Well, I think they've done it right there with Okorie. They got the right guy, there's no question. They traded up for him. They had to do some wheeling and dealing to make sure they got him. So they clearly wanted Okorie more than anyone else. They also got, in the second pick, Ugonna Onyenso. A center, by the way, a big, tough guy, which is what they need, I think. So I think they did very well here. Most [analysts] graded [the Pistons] at about a B+ on the NBA draft. I think it's better than that.
DT: Well, and also hoping to fill a hole after the trade of Isaiah Stewart this week. Another big, tough guy who wasn't seeing much playing time.
John, let's turn to the NHL Entry Draft, which is this weekend. But for the Red Wings, there’s been more attention on ongoing trade demand made by team captain Dylan Larkin. In the past, Red Wings General Manager Steve Yzerman has used draft picks — including some from this year’s draft — to help seal trades for veterans. How much pressure is Yzerman under to make a deal for Larkin quickly?
JUB: There is certainly some on that front, because you don't want a captain who does not want to be a part of your team. You don't want that guy in your locker room in the fall. It's a bad sign. And then you've got a fire sale because people know that you have to unload them, basically. So he's got some pressure.
But frankly, the Red Wings are now into yet another rebuild, chances are. If that's the case, in some ways, the pressure is off to make sure you get maximum value and don't rush yourself.
DT: When we spoke last week, John, Tigers pitcher Justin Verlander was scheduled to return to the starting rotation after being out for months with a hip injury. Mere hours after we spoke, the Tigers announced that the 43-year-old was back on the injured list with a strained hamstring. I have to say, the news feels fitting as the Tigers just finished their worst first half of a season since 2022.
JUB: And you might say it's only four years, Doug, but you forgot how bad 2022 was. [Laughs] It's definitely fitting.
Look, this whole season is the classic John Steinbeck "the best laid plans of mice and men." They had a great plan, I think, for having a very good season, a real run with Tarik Skubal in likely his last season in Detroit. And it's all falling apart, partly due to injuries. And JV is right there.
Editor's note: Some quotes in this article have been lightly edited for length and clarity. You can play the full audio of this interview near the top of this page.
The University of Michigan holds Michigan Public's broadcast license.
