Dusty May Leaves Door Cracked for NBA Jobs

INDIANAPOLIS — Dusty May gave Michigan some good news ahead of Monday’s national title game. 

The Wolverines coach told school officials that he is not pursuing any college jobs, according to ESPN. May was reportedly a candidate for North Carolina’s opening, but became the second coach at the Final Four to pass on the job. 

On Friday, Arizona coach Tommy Lloyd said he was staying in Tucson and agreed to a new deal with the school that will make him one of the top-five highest-paid coaches in the sport. He will also report to the school president instead of the athletic director. 

That same day, May was asked about the North Carolina opening. 

“After last year, I decided that I’ll never, ever respond to any job speculation,” May said on Friday. “I think it’s well-documented how happy I am at Michigan. Obviously, my private life, my personal life, my family, their happiness is very important.”

May has already signed two contracts in as many seasons at Michigan, agreeing to a new deal last February less than a year after he left Florida Atlantic for Ann Arbor. His base salary is $4.6 million for this season and is set to increase to $4.85 million for next season, based on the terms of his current contract. May’s contract runs through 2030 and has a $7 million buyout if he left for another job after this season. 

He has already netted a $250,000 bonus for leading Michigan to an outright Big Ten title and at least a Final Four appearance. He also earned a separate $300,000 bonus for a national championship berth that would increase to $400,000 with a win over UConn on Monday. 

ESPN’s report leaves open the possibility that May could entertain offers from NBA teams if they come his way. May has never coached in the NBA in any capacity and would be an interesting target for teams. He led Florida Atlantic to a Final Four in 2023 and has won nearly 70% of his games in eight seasons as a head coach. 

But it’s a mixed track record of college coaches who made the leap to the NBA. Larry Brown remains the only head coach to win both an NCAA and NBA title. College coaching staples such as Rick Pitino and John Beilein struggled mightily in the NBA and Billy Donovan has tailed off in Chicago after a strong NBA coaching debut with the Thunder. Celtics general manager Brad Stevens successfully made the leap from Butler, though he led the organization to the 2024 NBA title as its general manager, not as a coach. 

A former Indiana student manager under Bob Knight, May has ample NBA connections. Donovan is reportedly a top candidate at North Carolina, and could create an NBA opening for May if he decides to leave the pros.