Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel has found himself on the hot seat quite a few times, especially in the last couple of years. Between the Connor Stallions scandal, not keeping Jim Harbaugh around after winning a National Championship on the football field, and the Sherrone Moore scandal, Manuel has found himself in some hot water more times than not.
Well, hopefully Manuel likes it warm because now he is about to look for yet another basketball coach, just two years after hiring Dusty May out of FAU. Breaking news just hit that May, just a couple of months out of winning a National Championship on the hardwood with the Wolverines, is heading to Dallas to take the head coaching position with the Mavericks.
While the jump from college to the NBA should be a celebration, Warde will now have to replace a title-winning coach for the second time in three years. Not to mention, May was supposed to get a major extension after winning the championship back in April, but according to Amanda Christovich with Front Office Sports, that extension was never signed.
Dusty May is headed to the Dallas Mavericks, per ESPN. This comes despite Michigan's AD saying they had worked out an extension after May won the national championship, but @FOS reported the deal hadn't actually been signed. https://t.co/MvFoTTkrVa
— Amanda Christovich (@achristovichh) June 22, 2026
New Dusty May update fully puts Warde Manuel at blame for his Michigan exit
Manuel has not been the most well-liked person around Ann Arbor, and this news certainly won't help his case. The only thing that can save Manuel now is hiring another amazing coach, but it is slim pickings out there in June.
The coaching cycle is a barren one as of right now, so it's either promote from within or get ready to pay Billy Donovan a lot of money to go to the frozen tundra of Ann Arbor, Michigan. If Michigan goes from the 'promote from within' route, that could mean Manuel is putting a band-aid over a bullet hole and hoping the coaching carousel next season will have better choices for the Wolverines.
While that option isn't a horrible one, fans aren't going to love that choice merely months after winning a National Championship. The Wolverines have a roster that could still be very competitive this next season, but that is all depending on whether the players stick around.
Once a new head coach is announced, five days later, a 15-day Transfer Portal window will open, allowing players to make the decision to stay or go. The only good thing about the timing of this news is that a lot of rosters are already full, or money is strained for programs that were big spenders a couple of months ago.
With rosters being full, or close to it, these players may not have much of a choice but to stick around Ann Arbor for another season. Promoting from within could also keep familiarity a factor in players choosing whether to stay or go.
Warde has some big decisions to make, and while a signed extension may not have kept May in the building with the NBA calling, it can't be overlooked that Warde fumbled the bag on this one. Two coaches in three years were promised extensions after winning a title, but the deal was never signed, and both ended up going to the pros. Warde has a lot of making up to do in Ann Arbor right now.
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