3 thoughts on Michigan basketball hiring Dusty May as head coach
The Louisville Cardinals seemed set to hire Dusty May on Saturday. That was until Saturday night when a report from Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN came out that May had agreed to become the next Michigan basketball head coach.
ESPN Sources: Florida Atlantic’s Dusty May has agreed on a deal to become the next coach at the University of Michigan. Andy Miller — May’s representative with Klutch Sports — is completing details with school officials on a long-term contract tonight. pic.twitter.com/oEVAzbbDuW
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) March 24, 2024
We told you that a hire was going to come soon after all of the top candidates were knocked out of the NCAA tournament. May was the first big domino on the college basketball coaching carousel and now some others should start falling.
You do wonder what changed though. There was a report and a lot of confidence on the Louisville side that this was a done deal. Michigan basketball fans didn't seem that upset to be honest -- many wanted Darian DeVries of Drake.
instead, it will be Dusty May, and here are three thoughts on the new head coach for the Wolverines.
As "proven" as Michigan basketball was going to get
Michigan basketball fans wanted a "proven" head coach. But Shaka Smart or Jay Wright, or another big-time coach wasn't going to come to Ann Arbor. That's just not in the cards.
But the fact that Michigan beat out Louisville, a basketball first school in the ACC, shows that the program still has some pull. I'm not sure exactly what caused the change of heart from Dusty May on Saturday but it's a win for the Wolverines.
May coached FAU to back-to-back 25-win seasons. Yes, there was a slight drop-off after the Final Four, but the Owls were a nine seed last season. They were a No. 8 this season after moving to a new conference.
Michigan hired a dude who took a team to the Final Four. That's what Shaka Smart did back in the day and it wasn't something even John Beilein had done when he was hired. That doesn't mean May isn't a risk, he is. But he was the least risky hire that was attainable.