When it was announced that Dusty May was leaving Michigan to become the head coach of the Dallas Mavericks, it came as a huge shock to the Wolverines community. The rumors began swirling as to why he would leave Michigan, especially after winning a National Championship back in April.
May was supposed to get a contract extension after winning the first basketball title for the Wolverines since 1989, but it was never signed. So, when the offer came to coach the Mavericks, May knew he couldn't pass up an opportunity that big. The NBA is the dream, but May also admitted in his introductory press conference that there were things he certainly wouldn't miss in college basketball.
ESPN NBA analyst Brian Windhorst joined the Rich Eisen Show shortly after the press conference, and he said what everyone else is too afraid to. NIL is hell, those were the exact words Windhorst used, and while he isn't speaking directly for May, he used examples like Jay Wright, Mike Krzyzewski, and even Bill Self to prove his point.
"NIL is hell, it's hell," Windhorst said. "The thing is, he agreed to a contract extension with Michigan, but didn't sign it from what I understand because I think he was eyeing this opportunity."
Why is Dusty May no longer the head coach at Michigan after winning the National Championship?@WindhorstESPN #GoBlue #MFFL #NBA pic.twitter.com/HvywjiILbp
— Rich Eisen Show (@RichEisenShow) June 29, 2026
The Mavericks were not the only team eyeing May as a candidate. Windhorst believes that if the Golden State Warriors' head coach, Steve Kerr, had retired, May would have been on a short list for that position as well. When that didn't happen, May was clear he would return to Michigan, but clearly, any NBA job he was offered was probably going to pull him away from the Wolverines
While May didn't come out and say NIL was the reason he left, in his introductory press conference, he did admit that there was so much he wasn't able to do, and things became very complicated. It's hard to believe he wasn't talking about the complications of NIL in college sports.
Brian Windhorst even has speculations on why Dusty May never signed his extension at Michigan
Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel has been under a lot of fire for letting another National Championship-winning head coach go right after bringing home the title. Manuel should have gotten that signature, but May could have chosen not to sign it, keeping his options in the NBA open, at least that is what Windhorst thinks.
"He agreed to the contract extension, and I think if all the coaching spots had filled up, he would have signed it," Windhorst said.
Now, Windhorst is not saying all of this is fact; this is truly his own beliefs from the way everything looks, but it's hard not to agree with his thoughts. If May was truly determined to stay at Michigan and nothing was going to lure him away, that extension would have been signed a long time ago.
NIL has driven quite a few coaches out of college athletics. While the coaches who have left and retired, like Nick Saban, Coach K, and others, have not specifically named that as the reason for leaving, the writing was on the wall. Now May has moved on, and it seems like he doesn't plan on a return to college if he can help it.
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