Dusty May: New Wolverine Basketball Coach Shows Why He Can Bring Back the Good Times

May took Florida Atlantic University to the Final Four, and so what might he accomplish at Michigan? He's already bonded with John Beilein, who took the Wolverines to a pair of Final Fours

Photo by Steve Kornacki

These four new Wolverines — (L to R) Tre Donaldson, Vlad Goldin, Rubin Jones and Roddy Gayle, Jr. — are all smiles while working out for new strength and conditioning coach Matt Aldred Friday afternoon at Crisler Center.

By Steve Kornacki

ANN ARBOR, Mich. – Watching a Dusty May practice for the first time Friday reminded me of the practices John Beilein ran at Michigan.

Everything had a purpose. There was no wasted motion. The players had plenty of fun. It was competitive. It was a learning experience. It was about bonding.

Beilein, the greatest coach in Wolverines history, played a significant role in May coming here. They still talk regularly and as recently as Thursday night, and Beilein’s glowing endorsement of May told us all we really needed to know about him.

His six-year success at Florida Atlantic University, which included a trip to the Final Four in 2023, back-to-back NCAA Tournament bids and a 126-69 record, made him the most attractive candidate to replace Juwan Howard in March.

May arrived seven months ago, revamping the roster by adding quality transfers such as Vlad Goldin (FAU), Danny Wolf (Yale), Roddy Gayle, Jr. (Ohio State), Tre Donaldson (Auburn), Sam Walters (Alabama) and Rubin Jones (North Texas). He signed high school recruits such as Michigan Mr. Basketball Phat-Phat Brooks (Grand Rapids Catholic Central), Justin Pippen (Sierra Canyon High, Chatsworth, Calif.) and L.J. Cason (Victory Christian Academy, Lakeland, Fla.).

Nimari Burnett, Will Tschetter and Jace Howard (son of Juwan) were retained and are expected to be significant contributors.

And now their first regular season game – Nov. 4 with Cleveland State at Crisler Center – is just over two weeks away.

May addressed a packed press conference Friday before opening the doors to the media for a lifting session, pro scouts day, practice and scrimmage.

I asked what he knows now about coaching the Wolverines that he didn’t know when taking the job, and he smiled and said, “What I know now that I didn’t know…Man, that’s a great question because I held this place in such high regard, and so I’ll get back with you on that one.”

He chuckled briefly, and added, “I’ve learned a lot about Michigan and people associated with it. But there’s not one thing that jumps out. Like I said, I’ve revered this place from afar.”

New Michigan coach Dusty May took Florida Atlantic University from seven consecutive losing seasons to six straight winning records and the 2023 Final Four.

Then I asked May about Beilein’s impact on him.

“As far as coach Beilein, I lean on him for advice,” said May, who’s already had Beilein address this team. “Even as much as he’s shared where I should get my hair cut and things like that to try to help make my life simpler. We have a very cluttered lifestyle as coaches, and especially taking over a new program with the work that we need to put in.

“But I spoke with him yesterday, and it’s weighing on him for: ‘What was your thought process here? How did you respond to this? Why did you do this?’ Obviously, the game’s changed and the profession’s changed, but I don’t think he’s given me an answer where I didn’t think it made a lot of sense.”

May said he thought of Beilein: “I can see why you’re going to be in the Hall of Fame before you’re done.”

May, 47, didn’t appear destined for such a great coaching position while attending Indiana University. He was a manager for the basketball teams coached by the legendary Bob Knight, but gleaned plenty from the fiery Hall of Fame coach.

“It’s an honor just to be the coach at Michigan,” said May. “Personally, I don’t look at it as my responsibility [to uphold tradition]. There’s a great, great team of coaches and staffers around me, and we’ve brought in guys that have a lot of pride in this program. So, I feel like it’s a cumulative effort, a responsibility of us all.

“But it’s on me to set the tone and go in the right direction at all times. But it’s a joint effort to get this program back to where it needs to be.”

Everything started out great for Howard, leader of the school’s iconic Fab Five and a long-time NBA player and assistant coach. Michigan made the Elite Eight in his first season as Beilein’s replacement and won the Big Ten regular season championship, too, in 2021. But his last two teams couldn’t make the NCAA Tournament, and last season Michigan hit rock bottom by going 8-24 and finishing last in the Big Ten at 3-17.

“We have something to prove,” said Donaldson. “Michigan didn’t have a good season last year, but I’m a winner, Sam’s [Walters] a winner. We want to continue to win and bring that culture. This Block M means a lot to everybody on this team, and we take it very personal.

“Michigan got away from winning, but we want to bring that back to being Michigan basketball.”

There’s no telling how good this group of Wolverines will be. But I can assure you two things: they are going to be entertaining to watch and connected by being accountable to one another.

Donaldson and Walters, who played last season for the bitter SEC-rival Tigers and Crimson Tide, sat next to one another while we spoke at Crisler. They trained together in Orlando, Fla., and have known one another since third grade.

“It’s kind of funny that we’re from Auburn and Alabama and that’s some rivalry,” said Walters. “But now we’re playing here together.”

They were asked about what attracted them to play for May.

“Just how he focuses on everything being purposeful,” said Donaldson. “We don’t waste any time. That was the big thing – how he runs practices. We have a practice plan and a quote of the day every day. It’s amazing here. He’s a great coach and very close to us. He interacts with us like me and Sam interact with each other. He’s fun to play for, and this is exciting.”

Walters said, “With Coach May, I wanted to find a place that had positive energy, and I felt that’s what he brings. He’s helped me come along just how I wanted to develop. I wanted to come play with an elite point guard [Donaldson], and I already have chemistry with this point guard.”

When practice was over, May gathered everybody in a big circle around the Block M on the court and asked them to share. They all – players, coaches and staffers – had their arms draped around the backs of whoever was on their left and right.

“We do that every day,” said Donaldson. “We talk about how the day went and see what we could’ve done better. Some days aren’t going to be perfect, and we want to revisit those times and talk about them, and see how we can learn from them and be better. We talk about the good and the bad.

“Coach always goes first. Then we talk and bring it in.”

Goldin, a 7-foot-1 center and power forward from Nalchick, Russia, is a graduate transfer from Florida Atlantic. He averaged 15.7 points and 6.9 rebounds last season, and helped May take the team to the Final Four two seasons ago. The Owls had losing records for seven consecutive seasons before May arrived in 2018-19, but posted winning records in all six of his seasons.

“Michigan was such an attraction for me because of the relationship I built with Coach May,” said Goldin. “I was looking to go NBA, but thought it’s a better decision for me to go to Michigan and develop my game in a different role.

“We got to the Final Four because we were tough. We wanted to do it and we took the best things from the best teams, and we did it.”

What does he like best about playing for May?

“He let’s you make mistakes,” said Goldin. “I’ve played for several coaches and they yell at you [after mistakes]. Coach May let’s you make mistakes because he says, ‘If you’re not going to make mistakes, you’re not going to learn.’ That’s the biggest thing that separates him from other coaches. He lets you learn, and that’s amazing.”

Burnett, who averaged 9.6 points, 4.1 rebounds and 2.4 assists last season for Michigan, was one of three to return.

“Coach May inspires us to be engaged,” said Burnett. “He inspires us with the energy that he brings, and the other [assistant] coaches bring. So, in turn, he also wants us to go out there and have fun. And the style of play that we all play is fun. So, I hopped in and enjoyed myself, and I know other guys have been enjoying themselves.

“We’ve already become a close-knit group. I thought this would take a couple months, but after a couple weeks we were already laughin’ and kickin’ it. This is different.”

These Wolverines will aim to play nose-to-nose defense, run the fast break, take an abundance of three-pointers and also drive to the basket. They have a drill stressing all those options.

“It’s a free-form offense with a lot of read-and-react,” said Burnett. “The ball and body movement allows us to get good threes. You play off your teammate. We play together at all times. If you make a play where you’re individually-minded, it’s like, ‘Take accountability with that.’ ”

Meeting a new coach coming into your program creates a good deal of anxiety, and so I asked Burnett about his first meeting with May.

A wide smile crossed his face, and Burnett said, “Man, my first impressions! I remember telling my close relatives about them. First impressions are everything. I’d heard great things about him, and I loved how straight to the point he was. But, also, he cares.

“And a coach that cares and wants to see everyone do well, but also is business-minded, and wants to make sure the team is in the best-case scenario. That’s what makes him a really, really good coach.”

And that sounds so much like Beilein.

There’s no higher compliment to give than that.